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CRYSTAL PALACE 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 0
MATCH REPORT
ComeOnBoro.com, 7 Nov 2009
New signing Isaiah Osbourne, on loan from Aston Villa, went straight into the side as promised, in the centre of midfield, alongside Rhys Williams. Gary O'Neil started on the right, while Marcus Bent started his first game for the club up front with Leroy Lita and Jonathan Grounds replaced the injured Emanuel Pogatetz.
Middlesbrough: Jones; Hoyte (Arca 69), Wheater (Capt.), St Ledger, Grounds, O'Neil, Osbourne, Williams, A Johnson, Lita (Franks 76), Bent. Unused subs: Coyne (gk); McMahon, Bennett, Arca, Yeates, Emnes.
Crystal Palace: Speroni; Hill, Derry (Capt.), Fonte, Ambrose, Danns (Carle 81), Sears (N'Diaye 88), Lee, Butterfield, Ertl, Davis. Unused subs: Clyne, John, Moses, Scannell, Djilali.
The First Half
Boro started the game defending after David Wheater made an unfair challenge on Alan Lee. Darren Ambrose's tried a shot from the free kick. Ambrose looked dangerous asd the game got underway and was in the thick of things again a few minutes later with a well worked corner which went wide. However Justin Hoyte should have had it covered, the defender lost concentration.
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With eight minutes gone Freddie Sears shot straight at Brad Jones.
Boro woke up about ten minutes after the kick off. Johnson looked threatening and found Gary O'Neil who took a shot but was denied by Speroni. Speroni then saved from Lita before new signing Isaiah Osbourne's shot went wide on 14 minutes.
Adam Johnson gift-wrapped an opportunity for Marcus Bent to get off the mark for Boro on 19 minutes and Bent, from close range, fired well wide without testing Speroni. What a waste!
Another defensive error by Hoyte allowed Freddie Sears the space to get the ball into the box, luckily for Hoyte, Boro managed to clear the danger.
Speroni messed up his clearance and Johnson pounced but was then tripped up by Danny Butterfield. Butterfield received a yellow card. Boro took the resulting free kick well and Gary O'Neil forced a save from Speroni.
Johnson was the major creative force in the opening period and Boro increased the pressure they were applying on Palace as time went on.
On the half hour mark, O'Neil lost the ball and Ambrose shot but the ball was deflected by Hoyte out for a corner.
David Wheater was a constant irritant to Palace but began to annoy referee JJ Linington and was called over for a 'friendly word'.
Johnson produced a lovely pass to Gary O'Neil who found Lita but the striker tried to do too much and somehow put the ball out of play. At the other end a header from Alan Lee went just wide on 31 minutes.
Boro had another chance to take the lead in the 31st minute, Wheater flicked the ball on as Palace's defence panicked but nobody in a Boro shirt got on the end of it.
A deliberate handball from Osbourne as he fell over earned him a yellow card in the 32nd minute.
Claude Davis clattered Leroy Lita but the striker bounced straight back up despite the size and, no doubt weight, of his opponent!
Hoyte was left on his own to clear as Ambrose sent another corner into the danger area. A lack of communication was causing problems among Boro's defence.
43 minutes gone and Johnson got away from three defenders showing incredible skill and confidence. But, as he tends to, the winger hit the deck far too easily from a tiny nudge and the ref awarded a goal kick.
Two minutes of stoppage time were indicated.
A bit of drama as Wheater and St Ledger collided and Palace went on the attack. Jonathan Grounds did well to clear.
Boro had the majority of the possession and two decent opportunties to go ahead in the first half but once again the tendency to overcomplicate play, and Bent's lack of finish, let us down. The first half was competitive and both teams were pushing for that first goal.
The Second half
No changes were made for either side at half time.
Boro started the game with purpose, Williams found Wheater pushing into Palace's half and Wheater passed to Gary O'Neil who fouled Clint Hill, conceding a free kick.
Good defending once again from Jonathan Grounds denied Palace but a corner for Palace got the home fans going.
Four against one with Boro on the attack, Lita missed his shot! Johnson expressed his absolute frustration at Lita's ball greedy ways as he ignored Johnson himself plus Bent and O'Neil and put the ball across the goal instead of in it, another wasted chance.
A slightly manic period ensued with scrappy shots being hit (and missed) left right and centre.
Palace had a penalty claim ignored after slight contact from Grounds on Alan Lee in the 53rd minute.
Speroni took an age to take his goal kick perhaps giving his team mates time to settle down.
The game was wide open and the crowd were making noise as the hour mark approached.
Crystal Palace 1 Middlesbrough 0 Ambrose, 65
GOAL! - Justin Hoyte did not get the better of Neil Danns, missing the header as Danns found Darren Ambrose. Ambrose still had lots to do but finished well from close range.
Boro looked for an immediate response through Gary O'Neil who forced a save from Speroni. But Palace had their tails up and were all over Boro.
Justin Hoyte made way for Julio Arca on 67 minutes but Arca was on the right wing meaning
Rhys Williams dropped to right back and Gary O'Neil moved into the centre of midfield as the game moved into the final 20 minutes.
Wheater headed into the area from Johnson's corner but a deflection helped Speroni to take control.
Gary O'Neil's shot forced Speroni to push the ball into penalty area but once again he should have kept it simple.
Lita made way for young striker Jonathan Franks on 76 minutes.
Johnson was brought down by Johannes Ertl but once again Speroni saved the resulting free kick from O'Neil.
Palace swapped Neil Danns for Nick Carle on the cusp of the 80th minute.
Arca forced a save from Speroni as Boro's time started to run out. And Jonathan Franks made the Argentian keeper work with a powerful shot in the 86th minute.
Palace manager Neil Warnock wanted to make a substitution but the player down was off the pitch and the game restarted amid confusion.
Sears was subbed for Alassane N'Diaye on 87 minutes.
Four minutes of stoppage time were indicated.
Franks continued to look dangerous but Arca's error almost lead to a second for Palace in the 90th minute.
Ambrose could have made it two as the time ticked away but missed the target.
Once again Boro's inability to finish, a lack of communication in defence and silly mistakes gave a win to a side who would have been delighted with a draw before kick off. My knee may be jerking but we are now 9th with our second away defeat of the season. If this is the new era I'm waiting to be impressed.
Man of the Match - I'd love to give it to Speroni but in the Boro line up I'm afraid it's Johnson again. Why can't he play like that at home?!
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