By Steve Goldby
April 17 2006

The game was hardly a high-tempo affair as the teams struggled to get going in the first fiften minutes. Both sides found it difficult to settle and neither seemed able to put two passes together or make an attempt on goal

PORTSMOUTH v MIDDLESBROUGH, PREMIER LEAGUE, 15th APRIL 2006

This has to be the most low-key Boro game for many seasons. It remains to be seen whether Monday's clash with West Ham will bypass it but with two semi-finals fast approaching, the league now seems irrelevant.

Steve McClaren rested several players and opted for a 4-5-1 formation with ex-Pompey man Yakubu up front. Brad Jones made a rare start.

Jones, Taylor, Ehiogu, Bates (Wheater 84), Parnaby, Downing, Boateng, Doriva (Christie 60), Rochemback, Morrison (Johnson 77), Yakubu
Knight, Kennedy

THE FIRST HALF

The game was hardly a high-tempo affair as the teams struggled to get going in the first fiften minutes. Both sides found it difficult to settle and neither seemed able to put two passes together or make an attempt on goal.

But Boro began to find their feet and managed to get some flowing movement into their game. With the first decent passes of the game came the first shot as Doriva crashed a shot over the bar.

That made Portsmouth spring into life and a sweeping attack culminated in a great cross in by Sean Davies and a shot by Todorov that would have been in had it not deflected off Matthew Bates.

Just before the twenty minute mark, Portsmouth had two penalty appeals turned down and another shot blocked by the Boro defence. The penalty appeals were clearly a case of Todorov diving but Portsmouth were out of their shell now and were starting to look as though they were capable of causing problems for Boro in defence.

On twenty-two minutes, Stewey Downing turned it round when he demonstrated a brilliant bit of skill. He took the ball twenty yards and forged a scoring chance from nothing. The shot went only just wide but it was a signal to Pompey that Boro could step up the pace whenever we wanted to.

That was the start of a spell of leisurely pressure from Boro. Pompey were still able to come forward but their attacks were infrequent and usually snuffed out by Ugo or Andrew Taylor. And then Boro would counter-attack but rarely managed to pick out Yakubu who had been isolated for most of the match.

Brad Jones produced the save of the half in the fourtieth minute when he made a diving stoppgae from a Todorov shot but he was beaten a minute later and Bates could not quite clear off the line. But the referee had ruled foul anyway and monitor replays showed that the ball had not crossed the line.

Just before half-time it was Boro's turn to almost open the scoring as Yakubu was played in by Downing and left himself clear on the keeper who pulled off a great save to deny the striker. The game was left goalless and there for the taking for either side.

THE SECOND HALF

Yakubu started the half with a half opportunity that Primus did well to sweep away. It gave Boro the confidence to create and we looked easily the better side as we upped the tempo.

It was against the run of play when Pompey took the lead although it had to be said that Boro's defence could have done more to stop Gary O'Neill breaking through our lines and slotting home a crisp and clean shot that left Brad Jones with no chance.

PORTSMOUTH 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 0 (O'Neill 54)

Portsmouth were obviously lifted by the goal and Jones showed good agility in keeping out a Todorov header. But Pompey were sweeping forward now and three consecutive attacks gave Pompey the edge. Boro did well to keep them out during that spell.

On sixty minutes Boro made a very significant substitution when Malcolm Christie was brought on in place of Doriva. Hopefully this will be the first game of a long injury-free run for the returning striker. It meant a 4-4-2 formation for Boro as we moved in for the equaliser.

Christie nearly had the dream return after three minutes when presented with the ball fifteen yards out but his shot was saved by Kiely. O'Neill was close to getting Portsmouth's second on sixty-six minutes when he volleyed in a Stefanovic cross only to see it saved well by Brad Jones.

There was little action to speak off in the next spell of play and with seventy-seven minutes gone, Adam Johnson replaced James Morrison on the right wing.

Boro stepped up the pace after the introduction of Johnson and made some workmanlike forward moves without really troubling Portsmouth. Another substitution was made on eighty four minutes when David Wheater replaced Matthew Bates and moved into attack alongside Christie and Yakubu as Boro switched to 4-3-3.

Boro went for it in the last five minutes and a George Boateng shot had the Pompey defence worried but the crowd urged their side on to collect a priceless three points to aid their relegation battle.

Boro signalled intent when even Brad Jones came forward for a last minute corner but for all the effort that the Boro put in, it was just not going to be for us today. Good luck to Pompey in their relegation scrap. Shall we win a cup for you?

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