Middlesbrough (1) 3 Whyte (27), Beck (61), Ravanelli (89)
Newcastle United (1) 1 Shearer (45)
Att: 29,831
Boro: Walsh, Whyte, Vickers, Morris, Emerson, Mustoe,
Beck, Fleming, Juninho, Ravanelli, Hignett (Stamp 73)
Subs Not Used: Moore, Roberts
Toon: Srnicek, Elliott, Albert, Peacock, Batty, Lee, Ginola,
Gillespie (Watson 86), Beardsley, Shearer, Asprilla (Kitson 86)
Subs not used: Clark
The second disaster of the night was when I heard the announcer and to my horror realised that it was Mark Page. You have to go a long way before you hear someone as cheesy as Alan Robson reading out the team-sheets but Mark Page is that man, a total, self satisfied, fuckwit. I’m amazed they let him in the ground, he once incited a riot when Newcastle played at Ayresome Park back in the 1980’s.
Emerson was playing for Boro, as far as I can see he has only played two games in the past two months and they have both been against us, the law of sod. We kept to our usual kamikaze line-up of three at the back.
We had just taken our seats when Gillespie ran down the right and crossed it in, Ginola’s miss hit shot found it’s way to Tino who was standing with his back to goal about a foot out. Unfortunately he failed to control it and the goalie pounced - a bad miss. Boro then counter attacked and Beck forced Pav to save at his near post. All of this after two minutes. The half continued in similar vain Boro had the ball most of the time but failed to force Pav into serious saves, when we had the ball we were forcing Walsh into good saves, notably from Ginola. The battle between Juninho and Albert was pulsating. The Brazilian was walking away from our midfield but Albert was timing his last ditch challenges impeccably. Then once or twice the little Boro number ten went past Albert with breathtaking skill.
Midway through the first half Boro took the lead. Batty failed to clear a corner, the ball was shot across goal and Whyte poked it in. The goal was the cue for blaring music of the heavy metal variety over the PA and the Boro fans waving big foam hands. What an insult this must be to the Boro fans! You can’t create your own atmosphere so we will just can some through. As for big foam hands, haway lads - get a life!
Newcastle responded well, forcing Boro back. Just before half time Gillespie swung a corner in from the right and Shearer rose above his alleged marker and looped a magnificent header into the top right hand corner, from 15 yards out. Shearer is simply the best striker in the world!
The second half began like the first, Boro with the ball but Newcastle with more of a cutting edge. In the opening five minutes Gillespie crossed for Asprilla. Tino took the ball down brilliantly, turning in one movement before whipping in a shot. Walsh made another fine save, low to his left.
Then came the games turning point. Gillespie had made a fool out of Morris all night. He tried to take him round the outside but ran the ball out of play, as he did so Morris ran in and stamped on Gillespie’s left ankle. The ball was no where near and Gillespie was not even on the pitch, there can be little doubt that Morris made a premeditated attempt to break Gillespie’s leg, so why was he not sent off? With Boro down to ten men we could have gone onto win, or at least force a replay. After the challenge Newcastle lost their nerve and commitment. Boro seemed to grow in confidence and they wanted to win more. The Teessider’s seemed to realise that they had little chance of getting past Albert in the middle so began to spread it out to the wings, where we had no fullbacks. Juninho found Ravanelli in acres of space on the left hand side, he had time to pick out Beck at the near post and the Dane made no mistake. Another goal conceded because we had no fullback, when will this madness end Mr. Keegan?
Boro took the game to Newcastle and Pav was at last forced to make some saves. Newcastle pressed for an equalizer and had a Peacock header chalked off because of an extremely marginal offside decision. Ginola forced Walsh into another fine save before Boro rapped it up. Juninho drifted out to the left, unchallenged and crossed for Ravanelli. Music, big foam hands and goodnight!
Boro came good in the last twenty minutes but they would have been a long way behind if it was not for Walsh. We desperately need to play an orthodox flat back four. Obviously this would help us out at the back but it would also allow Ginola and Gillespie join in the attacks. As things stand the system is crippling us on both fronts.
Apparently there was a bit of slapping around after the game, I was too preoccupied with looking for my stone to notice.