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HULL CITY v MIDDLESBROUGH - SOUTHGATE RUES MISSED CHANCES
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate left Hull facing an FA Cup third-round replay and counting the cost of missed chances.
Boro looked to be heading into the fourth round without a hitch when Mark Viduka blasted home the opening goal 17 minutes from time.
However, substitute Nicky Forster struck within three minutes of his arrival to level and hand the Coca-Cola Championship strugglers a trip to the Riverside Stadium.
Southgate explained: "We certainly had enough chances to have won the tie. We could have been in a very comfortable position by half-time.
"But we did not take them and credit to Hull, they kept plugging away. That is the danger in cup football - if you give them a couple of chances, they are going to take one.
"It was not to be on the day, but I cannot fault the players at all because even though we are disappointed not to go through and the fans are disappointed we have not won the game, the attitude was bang on and the commitment was spot on as well.
"I thought we played some very good football at times and opened them up.
"The chances we missed, on another day we would take and we would be through."
The main culprit was leading scorer Aiyegbeni Yakubu, who failed to accept three glorious opportunities to add to his nine-goal tally, the last of them three minutes from time.
Southgate said: "He is a bit down because he has been in such a good vein of scoring form that he would expect himself to score the chances he missed.
"But I am never critical of people missing chances. They have got to keep getting into those areas, and if we keep creating as many as that, we will give somebody a good hiding."
Viduka's contribution was once again key, and illustrated exactly why Southgate is keen to extend his stay beyond the end of the current season.
Asked about the state of contract negotiations with the Australian, the manager said: "I have spoken with him and I have made it clear I want him to stay.
"We are not interested in listening to offers from other clubs, and that is as far as it is at the moment."
If Southgate headed for Teesside slightly disappointed, opposite number Phil Brown was enjoying contrasting emotions after seeing his side extend their unbeaten run to three games in his first match since being put in charge until the end of the season.
Brown said: "There was a hell of a lot to be pleased with.
"I said to the boys before the game that we wanted to be in the hat for the fourth-round draw, and we have managed to achieve that, albeit with a replay.
"I was mindful of the run we are on and I wanted to go into the QPR game undefeated, and that is what we have done."
The result was all the more creditable after former Boro midfielder Nicky Barmby and Craig Fagan joined the suspended Damien Delaney and Dean Marney on the sidelines in the run-up to the game.
Brown said: "We had two suspensions and Nicky Barmby pulled out on Thursday and Craig Fagan today, and it upset preparations.
"We could not actually pick the team until 1.30pm today, which is not my normal way. I like to work with the team on Thursday and Friday, but we could not do that.
"But the ones who came in were outstanding, there is no doubt about it.
"It upset our fluency to a certain extent and we did not play as well as we could do. The lads are disappointed after the game, which is a good sign."
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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