WBA v Boro - FA Cup 5th Round Replay Match Report

By Jemma Tappenden
February 28 2007

Full match report from last nights FA Cup 5th Round replay match between Championship side West Bromwich Albion and Premiership side Middlesborogh at the Hawthorns.

Tony Mowbray made three changes to the side that picked up at point at Leicester at the weekend, with an important league clash against Sunderland approaching Mowbray was forced to strike a balance that would allow key players to rest and remain fit for the league, whilst giving Albion their best fighting chance to make the quarter finals of the FA Cup fir the first time in 5 years.

Albion started the match brightly and Middlesbrough keeper Brad Jones, in for first team regular Mark Schwarzer was called into action during the 5th minute, as Gera and Ellington linked up well to provide Chaplow with a shot on goal. Soon after Baggies fans erupted as they thought Nathan Ellington had found the net, but the Duke missed narrowly from 12 yards. Paul McShane was next to test the Boro keeper as he latched on to a Carter corner. The early stages of the match certainly would have had the neutral confused as to who was the Premiership side. The Baggies kept up the early spell of pressure, and Ellington sent in a testing 20 yard shot, which in the end Jones dealt with comfortably.

Boro struggled to get out of their own half, and after a disappointing header from Gera in the 16th minute straight to the hands of Jones, Albion grabbed a well deserved lead in the 26th minute as Carter picked up a neat lay-off from Ellington and shot expertly from 25 yards past the Boro keeper. The match was 30 minutes old before Albion keeper dean Kiely was tested with Boro’s first attempt on goal. George Boateng found himself in some space 25 yards out, but Kiely saved well to his low right.

As Boro forced their way back into the game attempts on goal for the Baggies started to dwindle. But it was the Baggies who still controlled the game on other areas of the pitch. And as referee Mike Riley blew for half time, it was Albion who went in to the break heads held high and one goal to the good.

Albion started the second half as they had the first, on the offensive. A half volley from goal scorer Carter troubled Jones in the Boro goal, although the score line remained 1-0. The clock had reached 51 minutes before Boro recorded their second goal attempt of the match, Stewart Downing blazing over the bar from 25 yards. Attempt number 3 was recorded just seconds later, but Curtis Davies denied Viduka the perfect goal scoring opportunity. Koumas narrowly missed the target with a searching free kick, which signalled the start of a return of confidence for the visitors. Boro almost found themselves an equaliser, but Downing harmlessly hit over the crossbar from 15 yards. Albion were already struggling to maintain their momentum when Boro finally found the net in the 63rd minute. A 15 yard shot from Viduka clipped Curtis Davies, to wrong foot Dean Kiely.

In the 71st minute Mowbray made a double change, Kamara and Koren replacing Koumas and Chaplow. Fresh blood revitalised Albion and they began to get another footing in the game. Jones pulled of a cracking save to deny Ellington from 20 yards, and he came back immediately under fire as Robinson cracked a low hard shot. Albion would regret not capitalising on their early chances, particularly in the first half, as the last 10 minutes were dictated by Boro. Baggies keeper Kiely spent the remainder of normal time under the cosh, with fierce Boro shots coming particularly in the 88th minute as Yakubu took advantage of a rare Clement error, closely followed by a Pogatetz shot which scrapped the woodwork from 20 yards. A brilliant save from Kiely denied South Korean Dong Gook Lee a goal for Boro, and chances became few and far between as the game fizzled towards extra time.

1-1 after 90 minutes.

The first action of extra time saw Albion striker Nathan Ellington shown a red card for a late challenge on Parnaby. Koren had the first shot in extra time, although it proved little trouble for Jones. The period of extra time was uneventful compared to the previous 90 minutes, and after 120 minutes of open play the game eventually headed for penalties.

Both sides converted 4 out of 5 penalties – Lee missing for Boro, Clement for Albion. Boro struck confidently for their first of sudden death, leaving Albion in a must score situation. But MacDonald missed his penalty, putting Boro through 5-4 on penalties.

Albion now have chance to turn their attention to the League. Birmingham City’s 1-0 victory over Leeds at St Andrews last night saw them move back to the top of the table. Albion remain in an automatic promotion place, but with a possible 8 teams still battling it out for those all important top 6 places, every game is important.