Edgy Finish to the Season

BORO face an edgy end to their season after losing at the hands of premier league strugglers Bolton and local rivals Sunderland.


BORO's Premier league survival was all but assured just a couple of weeks ago after a good run of form and a vital draw against title chasers Manchester United, but now their hopes of being in the top flight next season hang by a thread.

With just two games remaining against high flying Portsmouth and Manchester City, BORO need to get their arses into gear if they want to be in this league next season because, with just 4 points separating them and the relegation zone they could find themselves in an embarrassing situation come May 11th.

BORO's misery started when they failed to capitalise on a good start in last week's home game against Bolton. Once again they failed to take chances and were made to pay as Gavin McCann netted the only goal and Bolton shut up shop to deny BORO any hope on their home soil.

Sunderland 3-2 BORO

But today was going to be different. Gareth Southgate assured the BORO faithful that today's derby game at Sunderland was going to be the key to assuring BORO's survival, which had seemed so secure just a couple of weeks ago.

Totally against BORO's style, this season, they took an early lead as Alves cleverly found Tuncay racing behind the Sunderland defence. Tuncau controlled on his chest before driving home after just four minutes.

But it didn't last long, just as is BORO's way, they still conceded an early goal; just two minutes later, when Danny Higginbotham came forward from the back to head in a Collin's cross, past the stand-in goalie Brad Jones.

Both teams new the importance of three points and the pace of the game didn't let up as both teams mounted attacks and came close to bagging seconds as first Michael Chopra drove his shot across goal, before BORO's Tuncay nodded a header just wide of the goal.

Tempers then came to boiling point as BORO's man of the season David Wheater and Chopra clashed following a late challenge from the Sunderland striker, both players received yellow cards.

But BORO's early luck was to change as, just before the break, Chopra evaded Wheater after a long ball from Liam Miller and smashed home a shot the ricocheted off the post and into the net.

Sunderland came out for the second half with far more determination to get the three points and went about making life difficult for BORO as Chopra made himself busy as well as Kenwyne Jones, who suffered a nasty head injury upon colliding with BORO defender Emanuel Pogatetz.

Then Craig Gordon made a good effort of denying Stewart Downing an equaliser only to see BORO new boy Afonso Alves bag his third goal since January to put BORO back level, just moments later when the ball was deflected into his path after a shot from former Sunderland man Julio Arca.


Daryl Murphy replaced Michael Chopra with just five minutes of normal time remaining and the change proved effective as Murphy latched onto Leadbitter's corner, heading in off Emanuel Pogatetz to claim a vital, late winner.

But BORO's problems are now just beginning again. BORO must now hope to win their remaining games, no excuses, they need to win, not on paper, but they need to win!
Also, Stewart Downing has come out in the national media stating that if BORO don't buck-up their ideas he might be reconsidering his recent new contract in favour of remaining in the England set-up.

And now, fresh reports are emerging that Mark Schwarzer will be gone by the end of the season. In a Mark Viduka-type charade, Southgate will put off offering him a new contract until it is too late. Their have been reports that the Aussie shot stopper and longest serving, current, BORO player is keen to end his career in Germany and with suggestion that Bayern are interested in signing him and with thoughts that he only intends to play for another two years, until the World Cup, he could be gone in the summer.

But have no fear! Some media reports are suggesting that Southgate might be interested in signing recent England and Spurs flop, Paul Robinson, to replace Schwarzer.

Attendance: 45, 059
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Tuncay Sanli

Pictures courtesy of BBC Sport (news.bbc.co.uk/sport)