Summary: City slipped to a disappointing defeat after falling behind to a ‘Boro goal that came against the run of play three minutes before the break from Lee Cattermole. The home side came closest through Albert Riera’s curled shot in the first half, and had to be grateful to David James for some fine saves in the second half.
Team news:
Georgios Samaras was back in the starting line up after a quicker than anticipated recovery from an ankle injury. Trevor Sinclair was also back, with Micah Richards dropping to the defence to fill in for the suspended Sylvain Distin. Albert Riera was also back from the start.
The visitors played with just the prolific Yakubu in attack. The promising Lee Cattermole, who played and scored against City’s reserves this season, started and is one for the future.
The Match
The first significant action came around five minutes, when Ireland’s free kick was just too high for Micah Richards. Seconds later, Ben Thatcher used the slippery conditions well to time a challenge on Morrison well and concede a corner, which James collected easily.
The game was now taking place in an absolute downpour, and with just nine minutes gone Frank Quedrue was replaced by Taylor after appearing to pull a muscle in his hamstring.
City were having the better of the play early on, and were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position after 14 minutes. Riera took it with his left foot, but his effort was always drifting just wide of Jones’ left post.
Riera was involved again after 21 minutes when he got to the byline after a neat step-over, and his low cross looked threatening but Sinclair could not get any angle on his effort and the ball went wide.
And a minute later City had another chance when Ireland fed Vassell after breaking downfield, but the striker could not shoot first time and under challenge from Boateng was unable to put Brad Jones under any pressure with the ball going well wide
Boro briefly got into a dangerous position on the half hour when Morrison tried to find Yakubu, but Richards shepherded the ball well and James was able to pick it up.
With eight minutes of the half left City nearly had a goal out of nothing, when after Samaras nodded down to Riera, the Spanish winger made a bit of room and shot with his left from the edge of the box. It was a testing effort but it curled just inches around the outside of Jones’ right post.
Then, against the run of play, the visitors scored through Lee Cattermole on 42 minutes. Downing crossed from the left and the teenaged midfielder flicked his head to skim the ball across David James and into the corner of the net.
First dangerous moment of the second half came when James Morrison went on a mazy run, cutting into the box from the right, but Dunne deflected his shot wide for a corner, from which Boro made nothing.
Boro’s goalscorer had a golden chance to make it two with 55 on the clock, but his first effort was parried by James, who then threw himself towards the teenager to block his follow up shot with his leg.
Two minutes later Samaras went close when his header from eight yards out drifted wide of the right hand post.
The visitors had another chance on the hour when Morrison found Yakubu on the edge of the box, but the striker scooped his shot a long way over James’ bar. Ireland was replaced by Musampa seconds later.
The Dutchman was involved straight away, when his free kick from the left found Dunne’s head but agonisingly it went inches wide of the right hand post.
Middlesbrough went straight down the other end, and Yakubu’s cross was only just in front of Morrison, who was clear inside the six yard box.
Croft came on for Sinclair with 23 minutes to go, shortly after which Yakubu was on target with a shot from 18 yards, but it went straight at James.
But City fans had their keeper to thank a minute later when he made a much more demanding save. Morrison shot with the boutside of his right from within the area, and the England man made a superb save, flicking the ball round the post with his right hand in mid-dive.
City’s final substitution came with 17 minutes left, Willo Flood replacing Antoine Sibierski. The raft of substitutions had livened up the Blues, who threw a couple of testing crosses in which Brad Jones was able to deal with.
James made another fine save with 12 minutes left, tipping a skidding Rochemback free kick around his right hand post.
City were awarded a free kick 20 yards with eight minutes left, but Danny Mills’ effort was blasted at the wall and rebounded to safety.
With time starting to run out for City, the home fans were calling for a penalty with five minutes left when the ball struck Stuart Parnaby, but the handball decision they were looking for did not come.
88 minutes were showing when Willo Flood’s delicate chip found the head of Richards inside the box, but Jones was able to leap and grab the ball as it looped goalwards.
