Middlesbrough – Fulham

1. Hello, I'm Alex, and I'm here to help guide you through Fulham's trip to Middlesbrough.

2. I had a dream last night that this game ends 4-4, so I reckon we're in for a cracker. That said, I also dreamt that I was being chased through a council estate by a deranged giraffe, so perhaps we shouldn't read too much in to it...

3. Team news: Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer fails a late fitness test to hand compatriot Brad Jones a chance against Fulham.

4. Fulham boss Chris Coleman welcomes back French midfielder Sylvain Legwinski from injury in, while at the back, Zat Knight returned for the injured Carlos Bocanegra.

5. The players are lining up in the tunnel. They look terribly excited. Malbranque, captaining Fulham for the first time, can barely contain his joy as he leads out the mighty Cottagers.

6. The Riverside Stadium is buzzing in anticipation of this massive clash. The fans erupt as the players emerge out on to the lush green turf. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end. Quite literally.

7. 1'

   We're off! Hang on to your hats...

8. 1'

   Bouba Diop makes the first mistake of the afternoon as he inexplicably walks the ball out of play, for no apparent reason.

9. 2'

   Radzinski plays the ball across the edge of the area, but Malbranque mis-controls and the home side clear.

10. 2'

    Both sides have started with a 4-5-1 formation. With ten players are in midfield, it's sure to get a little congested in there.

11. 3'

    Southgate makes an important challenge in the area after Malbranque breaks in to the Middlesbrough area. Good tackle from the former England defender.

12. 3'

    Referee Rennie is forced to have a quiet word with Rochemback after a late challenge on Knight. No booking.

13. 4'

    Yakubu breaks down the left and sends in a high cross towards Hasselbaink, but Jensen stays calm to clear the danger.

14. 5'

    Pogatetz whips in a good low cross, but Knight sticks out a leg and just manages to deflect the ball away from Hasselbaink.

15. 5'

    Hasselbaink is caught off-side as he attempted to get on the end of Morrison's through ball.

16. 6'

    Malbranque has the first shot of the match; he slices a right-foot effort 15 yards wide of the goal from the edge of the penalty area.

17. 7'

    Yakubu ends up on the floor after he, Knight and Warner challenge for a bouncing ball in the Fulham area.

18. 8'

    Rochemback curls a free-kick in to the area, but Goma meets the ball on the edge of the area and heads clear.

19. 8'

    GOAL! John smashes a stunning volley over the head of Jones from a tight angle. Wowzers.

20. 9'

    It was a quite superb goal from the young Dutchman; he controlled a lofted ball in the area, turned and cracked a left-foot volley over the head of the Boro keeper and just inside the far post.

21. 10'

    The home side win a free-kick, 25 yards out, slightly left-of-centre. Rochemback and Hasselbaink stand over the ball...

22. 10'

    ...But the Brazilian cracks a dreadful shot high and wide. Truly awful effort.

23. 11'

    People keep telling me that Rochemback used to play for Barcelona. Quite frankly, I don't believe them.

24. 12'

    Morrison spreads a good ball out wide to Parnaby on the right wing, but his first touch is poor and Volz is quick to put the ball out.

25. 13'

    Yakubu goes on a strong run down the left wing, but his cross is a little too high and Hasselbaink can only watch the ball drift over his head.

26. 14'

    Hasselbaink, attempting a first-time pass out to Yakubu on the left wing, hoofs the ball out of play. The Boro fans groan.

27. 15'

    Steve McClaren is pictured on a phone in the stands. He is smirking as he speaks. Maybe he's ordering a pizza for later. You know, to go with his usual bottle of wine.

28. 16'

    Pogatetz looks a little like Worzel Gummidge.

29. 17'

    Boro are having quite a lot of the ball, and Yakubu and Hasselbaink are causing the Fulham back four a few problems, but they aren't really creating any chances at the moment.

30. 18'

    CHANCE! Yakubu lofts a great ball over the top of the Fulham centre-backs towards Hasselbaink. The former Chelsea star considers a first-time volley, but misses the ball and falls over instead.

31. 19'

    Malbranque holds off a couple of Boro challenges as he tries to break down the left.

32. 20'

    The Boro fans are outraged when a throw-in decision goes against them. Referee Rennie is coming in for even more stick than usual.

33. 21'

    Most of Boro's attacks are coming down their left-hand side, with Yakubu and Pogatetz combining well.

34. 22'

    OOOH! Radzinski finds some space down the left wing. He lofts a great cross to the back post, but McBride plants his header a couple of feet wide of the far post.

35. 23'

    Hasselbaink chases down a high ball over the top of the defence, but the bounce eludes him and Warner claims.

36. 24'

    Jensen picks off a loose pass and sets off at the heart of the Boro defence. He flicks a pass out to Radzinski, but the linesman flags for off-side.

37. 25'

    Morrison curls a dangerous cross over to the back post, and Goma is forced to head out for a corner.

38. 26'

    SAVE! The corner is bent in to the near post; Queudrue meets it, but his header is directed straight at Warner, who makes an instinctive save.

39. 27'

    CLOSE! Yakubu cuts in from the left, works some space and smashes a shot a yard or so over the crossbar. He looks dangerous this afternoon.

40. 28'

    A loose pass from Riggott almost lets in McBride, but Southgate is alert enough to see off the threat.

41. 29'

    Another sloppy pass, this time from Morrison, gives John the chance to run at the defence, and this time Queudrue is forced to make an important challenge.

42. 30'

    Jensen is booked for holding Hasselbaink as the pair chased a through ball. Free-kick, 30 yards out...

43. 31'

    ...Hasselbaink smashes a low shot goalwards, but Warner falls on the ball and makes a comfortable save.

44. 32'

    GREAT CROSS! Malbranque curls a great ball in to the area, but it is agonisingly too deep for McBride to slide it home at the back post.

45. 33'

    Yakubu limps away after Volz blocks an attempted shot on goal from just inside the area. He's a big boy; I'm sure he'll be fine.

46. 34'

    Rochemback drives a low shot straight at Warner from just inside the area after collecting a pass from Morrison. The youngster might have been better taking the shot himself.

47. 35'

    NO! NO! NO! Rochemback misses a great chance to slide in Pogatetz through the left-channel when he snatches at the ball and horribly mis-cues.

48. 36'

    Bouba Diop is doing a good job of protecting his back four; he is winning plenty of headers and breaking up Boro attacks with strong tackles.

49. 37'

    Morrison smashes a shot high over Warner's crossbar from around 25 yards out. Boro have had plenty of attempts on goal so far this afternoon.

50. 38'

    Boro are going to need a big improvement in the second half if they are going to get back in to the game.

51. 39'

    MESSY! Hasselbaink takes advantage of a mistake by Volz and Knight. He picks the ball up on the edge of the area, but as he tries to shift it on to his right foot, he runs in to his own player and Fulham clear.

52. 40'

    Rochemback finally finds one of his own players with a pass as he releases Hasselbaink down the right, but his low cross is cut out.

53. 41'

    A succession of long balls from back to front fail to produce any moments worthy of discussion.

54. 42'

    Yakubu lays the ball out to Hasselbaink on the left edge of the penalty area, but Volz does well to get back and deflect his attempted cross out of play.

55. 43'

    John is forced to have some treatment on a knee injury. He is escorted from the pitch by a sympathetic physio.

56. 43'

    Fulham deal with the Middlesbrough corner well, with Warner showing good strength to punch clear through a crowd of players.

57. 44'

    McBride heads out of play, for a reason I can't fathom. Middlesbrough throw.

58. 45'

    Southgate is forced to put the ball out for a corner as he intercepts McBride's low cross in to the Boro area. Boateng heads the set-piece clear.

59. 46'

    HALF-TIME: Fulham lead at the break, thanks to John's left-foot volley. Boro haven't really come close to an equaliser.

60. 45'

    SUB: Nemeth replaces Pogatetz. The Austrian defender seemed to pick up a slight injury just before half-time.

61. 46'

    Fulham kick off the second half. Let's hope it's a little more exciting than the first, which, in all honesty, stank.

62. 47'

    Nemeth is quickly in to the action, planting a header from Queudrue's cross well wide of the near post.

63. 47'

    SHOT! Boateng drags a right-foot shot ten yards wide after being set up by Yakubu on the edge of the area.

64. 48'

    News from the changing room is that Pogatetz has broken his nose. Which will only serve to make him look even more like Worzel Gummidge...

65. 49'

    Both sides have been guilty of giving possession away too easily; there have been several very shoddy passes.

66. 49'

    McBride drives a left-foot shot straight at Jones from the corner of the area after a good run from the impressive Malbranque.

67. 50'

    Boateng almost finds Hasselbaink with a good curling cross in to the heart of the Fulham penalty area.

68. 51'

    Nemeth is taken down by Bouba Diop, 35 yards out. Free-kick...

69. 51'

    ...Rochemback has been bannished after several awful earlier attempts on goal. Hasselbaink and Queudrue stand over the ball...

70. 51'

    ...But the French defender curls a left-foot shot high over the crossbar without troubling Warner.

71. 52'

    Volz's poor pass on the right wing breaks up a promising Fulham attack.

72. 53'

    Fulham boss Chris Coleman looks smug as he stands in his technical area. This would be a great win for his side.

73. 53'

    Yakubu's touch lets him down and the ball runs out for a throw. This game has been littered with errors. It hasn't been a pretty spectacle.

74. 54'

    The atmosphere is more akin to a church than a football stadium at the moment. The Boro fans haven't been particularly inspired by their side this afternoon.

75. 55'

    Bouba Diop takes a knock on his ankle after Boateng dives in to try and rob him of the ball. The giant Senegalese midfielder gingerly gets to his feet and trots off.

76. 56'

    Yakubu wins a soft free-kick decision when Volz slides in to try and halt his run down the left wing.

77. 56'

    BLOCK! Hasselbaink is denied as he smashes a close-range shot straight at Riggott, who was attempting to jump out of the way at the near post.

78. 57'

    Strange decision from the linesman as he flags McBride for off-side as he challenges Southgate for the ball, 35 yards out.

79. 58'

    Nemeth seems to have picked up a knock. He is down on his haunches on the sidelines, feeling his leg.

80. 59'

    CLOSE! Yakubu heads Queudrue's cross an inch past the far post, with Warner beaten. Good chance for the striker.

81. 60'

    OFF THE POST! Volz breaks at pace down the right, clips a nice cross to McBride, who plants a superb header against the far post. Great effort from the American.

82. 61'

    After an hour of the most insipid of 'action', two chances in the space of a minute have brought the game to life.

83. 63'

    Rochemback falls over on the edge of the penalty area. No foul, says Referee Rennie.

84. 64'

    GOAL! Morrison nets Boro's equaliser, stroking home a volley at the far post after being picked out by Yakubu's cross from the left.

85. 65'

    The equaliser has brought the crowd to life. They take the chance to warm their hands, clapping as though their lives depended on it.

86. 66'

    Riggott is caught off-side; he had stayed up following a Boro corner, but was a little too eager to break forward on to Boateng's lofted pass.

87. 67'

    John can't quite get the power he needs on a header inside the Boro area, and Jones claims comfortably.

88. 68'

    JIMMY! NO! Hasselbaink smashes a shot high and wide after sprinting on to Nemeth's cur back from the by-line.

89. 69'

    Queudrue gives away a corner when he heads the ball out, under no pressure...

90. 69'

    ...GOAL! Bouba Diop powers a header in to the top corner from the set-piece. Superb effort from the giant midfielder.

91. 70'

    Fulham boss Coleman was understandbly delighted at his side's second goal. Proof of his joy came when television replays showed him jumping in the air, shouting 'Yesss!'

92. 71'

    Hasselbaink shoots wide from 12 yarsd out, although his embarrassment was saved by an off-side flag.

93. 72'

    Middlesbrough have showed a lot of spirit in this second half, and they will be distraught to find themselves behind again.

94. 73'

    INCREDIBLE MISS! Hasselbaink manages to prod the ball wide from three yards out. I'm not sure how, but he did.

95. 74'

    Hasselbaink has endured a sorry afternoon; nothing he has tried has come off.

96. 75'

    GOAL! Rochemback slides a clever ball in to Southgate, who had continued a run in to the area. The centre-back slides a cross to the far post, where Hasselbaink is left with the simple task of prodding the ball over the line from a yard out. Inredibly, he shanks the ball hopelessly, although thankfully he mis-cues so badly that the ball bounces off Yakubu, sat on the ground, and rolls slowly over the line.

97. 76'

    The Fulham players were outraged that the linesman didn't flag for off-side. They were right to be angry; Yakubu was off-side when the ball bounced off him.

98. 77'

    Boro have been boosted by the equaliser; they are playing at a great tempo now, and pressing forward for a winner.

99. 78'

    To be fair, Boro probably deserve to win this game; they have dominated possession.

100. 79'

     Fulham have only really threatened on the counter-attack, but Boro have managed to create quite a bit of pressure on the visitors' goal, especially in the second half.

101. 80'

     Jensen plays in a dangerous cross towards McBride, but Riggott is in bravely to head clear.

102. 81'

     Nemeth sprints on to Rochemback's through-ball, but Warner sees the danger and comes out of his area to hoof clear.

103. 83'

     GOAL! Hasselbaink puts Boro in front for the first time this match as he collects Morrison's cross, cuts on to his right foot and places his shot past Warner.

104. 84'

     Queudrue bravely blocks Bouba Diop's shot from the edge of the penalty area.

105. 85'

     SUB: Hasselbaink off, Doriva on. Jimmy has had a mixed afternoon, but he might have won the points for Boro with his late goal.

106. 86'

     Chris Coleman chews furiously on the Fulham bench. He looks angry. I wouldn't fancy doing the post-match interview with him.

107. 87'

     Doriva gives the ball away in midfield, allowing Fulham to break.

108. 88'

     Free-kick to Middlesbrough on the edge of the area, as Yakubu is brought down by the long legs of Bouba Diop. Dangerous spot...

109. 89'

     ...With Hasselbaink off the pitch, Rochemback resumes free-kick duties...

110. 89'

     ...But he drives his low shot straight in to the wall. Poor effort from the 'Brazilian'.

111. 90'

     A moment of amusement as Referee Rennie slips on the greasy surface and ends up on his backside.

112. 91'

     Rochemback and Bouba Diop clash off the ball. Replays show that the Fulham player chopped down on the back of Rochemback's neck, James-Bond-villian-style.

113. 92'

     Boro try to eat up the remaining seconds by taking the ball in to the corner.

114. 93'

     FULL-TIME: Good comeback from the home side to deny Fulham their first away win of the season. An entertaining second half made up for a shoddy first.

115. 93'

     Coleman and McClaren shake hands at the final whistle, but the Fulham boss looks very frustrated.

116. 93'

     So, Boro climb the table after a good home win. Stay with Soccernet for all the post-match reaction and opinion.

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