Middlesbrough - 2 (Popovic og 61. Hasselbaink 78.)
Crystal Palace - 1 (Johnson 52.)
Boateng fouled Fitz Hall, but the free kick made no ground for Palace, as Hasselbaink tried another shot, missing in the same fashion as he did previously. Julian Speroni took the goal kick, and shortly after Wayne sent the ball into the centre, Mark Schwarzer easily plucking the ball out of the air. His next attempt at getting the ball into the danger area was cleared by ex-Palace player Gareth Southgate, and Middlesbrough tried a couple of crosses in that were beaten away by the defence.
Fitz got a strike on goal that was well held by Schwarzer, whilst at the other end Viduka sent in a cross that Julian had little trouble with. Michael Hughes was then booked for a foul on Boudewijn Zenden, though Fitz, deep in the Palace area, cleared the resulting free kick. The next action saw Zenden fire the ball into the goalmouth area, but Danny Granville was on hand to clear any danger, and as Ray Parlour tried a shot Tony was there to mop up the danger.
Zenden then had a shot from the middle of the area that Mark cleared before a foul on Andrew Johnson cleared the lines, and Joonas Kolkka fired in a cross that was beaten away by Franck Queudrue, conceding a corner. Joonas sent that in, but it was well saved by the home keeper, and suddenly at the other end Viduka played cleverly to swivel and fire a shot that went just over the top of the bar.
A foul by Aki Riihilahti on Zenden saw Gaizka Mendieta try a shot, which was cleared by Mark, before a double save by Julian denied first Hasselbaink, then Riggott. The resulting corner was scrambled around the area before Tony finally cleared the danger, and Hasselbaink was caught offside as play continued to flow, mostly, towards the Palace goalmouth. Wayne sent in a cross that again was easily dealt with by Schwarzer, and shortly after Mendieta fouled Joonas, Mark taking the free kick, that Palace were unable to capitalise on.
Stuart Parnaby had a shot that Julian held on well to, and Hasselbaink tried his luck, Julian once again coming to the rescue. Michael got a shot on goal that missed to the right of the upright, and following a foul by Mark on Viduka it was Mendieta who blasted a shot well over the top of the bar. AJ managed to get free, his left foot shot going quite tamely to the keeper, and Parlour tried a shot as the first half came to an end, his attempt being well dealt with by Julian. There was time for one more clearance by Palace, this time Emmerson Boyce making a vital clearance, and as the ball came back Aki was on hand to clear the lines once more.
The half came to an end with honours even, and one can only assume that Iain Dowie would have been by far the more pleased of the two managers, and would simply have been asking for more of the same, with perhaps a goal just to put the pressure on the home team a little.
The second half saw an immediate corner to Palace, Parlour being the man to effect the clearance, before Julian once again plucked a shot by Hasselbaink out of the air. Parlour then fouled Wayne, but the free kick, taken by Danny, sailed over the top of the bar without too much worry for the home side. Hasselbaink tried again, this time Mark blocking the passage of the ball before AJ sent in a cross that Parnaby managed to get a touch to, clearing the ball at the last moment.
The complexion of the game was about to change though, and as AJ burst into the box he was brought down by Riggott, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a yellow card to the defender, and a penalty to Palace. AJ stepped up to take the kick, and he successfully blasted the ball into the back of the net. 1-0 to Palace, and though only 52 minutes had elapsed the travelling Palace supporters would have been more than pleased to hear the final whistle at this stage. Alas, it was not to be, and as things unfolded our goal must have really upset the home side.
Middlesbrough decided it was time to make a double substitution, taking Mendieta and Zenden off, their replacements being Szilard Nemeth and Stewart Downing. Queudrue fouled Wayne, the free kick being cleared by Riggott, but as the ball came back into our area a tangle of players saw Tony back-heel the ball into his own net as Julian dived desperately to make the save. We were back on level terms, in a most unfortunate manner.
A series of fouls followed, with neither side getting any advantage before a corner to the home side saw first Viduka, then Hasselbaink, try their luck, with only the skills of Julian saving the day for Palace. Parlour tried a shot that missed the upright, and he had another chance shortly after, this time Fitz managing to get in the way of the goalward bound shot. Queudrue got his head to an inswinging corner, his attempt going over the top of the bar, and Nemeth saw his attempt fly over the top of the bar, when he really should have done a little better.
Michael was harshly found guilty of a foul on Boateng, and the resulting free kick saw a magnificent strike by Hasselbaink, the ball flying into the top corner of the net before Julian could get a fingertip to it, and from 1-0 up we were suddenly 2-1 down. Palace decided it was time to make a change, and Aki was replaced by Shaun Derry, and shortly after Ivan Kaviedes came on to replace Wayne.
Michael fouled Parlour, but it was Tony who was booked for dissent, but the free kick from a dangerous position was well held on to by Julian before Ivan sent the ball into the opposition area only to see Schwarzer pluck the ball out of the air once more. We then entered time added on as Joonas sent in a shot that missed the upright and Downing tried a shot that was caught by Julian.
With little further action the game came to an end, and once again a point, or three, had eluded us. Iain will need to steady the ship soon before we are left too far behind in our quest to fight our way up the table, and away from the relegation zone.
Colin Pryce
Middlesbrough: Mark Schwarzer. Stuart Parnaby, Franck Queudrue, Chris Riggott, Gareth Southgate, George Boateng, Gaizka Mendieta (Szilard Nemeth 55), Ray Parlour, Boudewijn Zenden (Stewart Downing 56), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka.
Substitutes not used: Carlo Nash, Ugo Ehiogu, Joseph-Desire Job.
Crystal Palace: Julian Speroni, Emmerson Boyce, Danny Granville, Fitz Hall, Mark Hudson, Tony Popovic, Michael Hughes, Aki Riihilahti (Shaun Derry 80), Joonas Kolkka, Andrew Johnson, Wayne Routledge (Ivan Kaviedes 84).
Substitutes not used: Gabor Kiraly, Tom Soares, Gary Borrowdale.
Attendance: 31,560
Referee: Mr M Dean