Today’s co-called ‘lesser opposition’ we really cannot take for granted,
And a good, three points’ performance is the thing that’s really wanted,
It was at the Palace where Gareth Southgate kicked off his career,
And at least on paper, as they say, we should not have much to fear.

It’s imperative for Boro that we don’t have any hiccup,
Against the likes of Crystal Palace we really can’t afford to slip up,
Almost from the opening whistle Parlour sets up Jimmy Floyd,
But his effort was a wide one and certainly not to be enjoyed.

Outside the Palace area Jimmy Floyd is suddenly grounded,
But nothing is awarded and he looks on quite astounded,
Then came a hefty Riggott challenge when he went in really hard,
And he was, perhaps, a lucky man to avoid a yellow card.

Jimmy chased a long ball to the Crystal Palace area,
You would have thought his markers would have been a little warier,
He pursued what looked a lost cause and he never gave up the ghost,
And his shot, made out of nothing, drifted harmlessly past the post.

Viduka sent towards the goal a teasing little bender,
Speroni in the Palace goal seemed to wait for his defender,
Popovic then had ample time to kick it in the stands,
But it was close to an own-goal, thanks to the ‘keeper’s nervous hands.

The toil of Boateng and of Parlour was then an absolute sensation,
Which won from the Boro fans a hugely-earned and long ovation,
When George was brought to ground Ray Parlour charged on valiantly,
In cavalier fashion that the fans just love to see.

Zenden sent a good cross in from way out on the flank,
Then Viduka, speeding in on goal, cleverly sought out Hasselbaink,
The ‘keeper saved one-handed so the move had come to nought,
He collected it at maximum height so the break-through’s still being sought.

Kolkka’s running in on goal, our defence almost unlocked,
Then Riggott rescued Boro when he magnificently blocked,
It resulted in a corner which, when it came, was quite pathetic,
And Schwarzer saved it comfortably, without being too athletic.

Jimmy spotted Mendi and a crossfield ball did drill,
Then we witnessed from the Spaniard a tremendous piece of skill,
He nutmegged the defender then passed on to ‘The Duke,’
Who fired it narrowly o’er the bar with a special Aussie nuke.

He’ll always have a crack at goal and everyone approves,
He’s aware of where the goal is and also that it never moves,
With his back towards the target he quickly spun; the shot was awesome,
This time he was unlucky but we know he’s going to score some.

Boro now attacking, we’ve been playing half-an-hour,
And Jimmy Floyd strikes the ball with what is quite colossal power,
Speroni somehow parried then everyone thought we’d gone ahead,
But Riggott sadly failed and won a corner kick instead.

In the next almighty scramble Mendi showed us all his skills,
The ‘keeper claims the ball, which he immediately spills,
There’s mayhem in the goalmouth as Jimmy seeks to terrorise,
We’ve come so very close but still have failed to capitalise.

Boro were so lucky, but we still had a little titter,
As Palace broke and Michael Hughes then missed an absolute sitter,
The ball in was a dream as Kolkka laid it on a plate,
But the forward lacked conviction and left his teammates most irate.

A well-positioned Schwarzer answered a sudden ‘wake up’ call,
As Johnson carved us open but lacked the final wherewithal,
Palace had found a Boro hole and in on goal they zipped,
And, so far, this encounter’s not going according to the script.

The first half thankfully closes; as a spectacle it’s been poor,
And McClaren will have lots to say, of that I’m absolutely sure,
He was seemingly most furious and the fans are also frowning,
We could certainly do much worse than shortly bring on Stewart Downing.

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The second half commences and Boro have changed no personnel,
And Palace mount a strong attack that Boro must repel,
When Johnson forced a corner, the Palace pressure was immense,
But Boro came out well on top and then they stayed strong in defence.

When Jimmy dribbled across the goal, the fans with hope were filled,
His brilliant strike the ‘keeper blocked and once again he spilled,
The Hitman chose to go alone: he feels this is his day,
And there’s just ‘Speroni the Spiller’ who is keeping him at bay.

There are certain indications the Palace confidence is growing,
And disbelief in Boro’s camp is also clearly showing,
Then, in a sudden break it’s Mendi, as the strikers all advance,
Who puts the cross behind the lot and wastes a golden chance.

Are we possibly looking once more at another of those shocks?
When Johnson’s fouled by Riggott and he’s well inside the box,
It was rank bad Boro defending with a ‘pen’ the just award,
And Johnson picked himself straight up and, with great power, scored.

That goal for Crystal Palace will surely be a massive boost,
But will the Boro chickens finally now come home to roost?
Surely we have the big guns to rid us of this bleakness,
And they must bombard Speroni, who appears the Palace weakness.

Zenden and Mendieta are now retired to the bench,
As Boro must push forward and most certainly not retrench,
Replacements Nemeth and young Downing will now provide the ammunition,
In the hope that Boro can finally batter Palace into submission.

Five-foot nothing Johnson’s causing our lads lots of trouble,
Then Boro break again and seek to burst the Palace bubble,
Viduka got involved in a little rough-and-tumble,
And forced the dodgy ‘keeper into a further feeble fumble.

The equaliser came in the cruellest of fashion,
Leaving Iain Dowie looking absolutely ashen,
A quality ball by Downing caused the Palace defence to twitch,
And an own-goal then resulted, popped in by Popovic.

The Riverside’s like a cauldron and the place is boiling now,
Surely we have the quality to make the Palace finally bow,
It proves that if you get the ball into the danger zone,
Something good will come from it with the seeds of victory sewn.

Further Downing menace brought a wondrous floated pass,
It’s pushed out for a corner but this boy just oozes class,
In rushed his colleague, Parlour, who sought to catch it in his stride,
But he leaned back as he struck it and so sent it high and wide.

Downing’s brought real danger in fifteen minutes on the field,
And the Boro fans’ admiration, is being constantly revealed,
Again Parlour charges forward and gets in a decent pop,
Which Speroni, in true fashion, manages eventually to drop.

A goal looked on for Nemeth and would have been a real sensation,
As he weaved his way, man-after-man, with great acceleration,
Although the ‘keeper dropped it, his initial save we’ll not forget,
A Szilard header beat Speroni but landed, sadly, on the net.

Boro upped the pressure and Boateng’s dragged down to the floor,
To give Boro now the chance of something better than a draw,
Is Downing going to take it? No! Jimmy Floyd is pulling rank,
And it’s in the net: unstoppable: from the Boro’s Hitman, Hasselbaink.

From twenty-five yards he launched it and then wheeled off to rejoice,
With Boro fans ecstatic and celebrating with one voice,
It left his lethal right foot like a missile true and rasping,
Leaving poor ‘old’ Speroni looking on helpless and also gasping.

That should put Crystal Palace finally & totally on retreat,
And Boro sure look easier now they’re in the driving seat,
This set-back brought for Palace now a speedy double change,
But surely now, the job if done, and the points are out of range.

It’s been a hard-fought victory with Boro at times not too convincing,
And occasionally their efforts have had McClaren clearly wincing,
But 2-1’s the final score so we did sufficient to succeed,
Though Crystal Palace, to their credit, ran us very close, indeed.