I’m pretty sure that most of us of a certain age,
Never imagined Boro on this European stage,
But tonight we give a welcome to our Riverside home,
To those giants of football known as Lazio of Rome.

So the stage is finally set for this really great attempt,
Of which, for very many years, we could have only dreamt,
There’s no doubt at all in my mind that it’s all long overdue,
So now it’s ‘fingers crossed’ in hope, but can our dream come true?

It’s eight o’clock at last so, without any more discussion,
The whistle’s sounded by the ref. who is, in fact, a Russian,
There’s a party feeling in the ground, with fans in absolute heaven,
Though the fans supporting Lazio just total sixty-seven.

The start is rather scrappy but we’re feeling in fine fettle,
And just taking that bit time, to try and let things settle,
Then McMahon was somehow caught and that signalled danger dawning,
And Filippini fired just wide, but let that be a warning.

For some quite unknown reason an Italian went to ground,
And, to the visitors’ surprise, the referee's whistle did not sound,
Parlour made the ‘keeper work and was not appreciated,
As the visitors, almost to a man, became extremely agitated.

Downing took a corner, which the ‘keeper then misjudged,
Then he somehow won the ball when the ref. said he’d been nudged,
Giannithedda was then stretchered off and he’ll take no further part,
And Di Canio showed his skill and almost broke the Boro’s heart.

Young McMahon was guilty of a lack of concentration,
And Di Canio was upon him without a moment’s hesitation,
At first glance it did appear he didn’t have a hope in hell,
But he curled an absolute beauty, though Schwarzer saved it well.

That slip was soon forgotten when the Boro took the lead,
With a goal of real world quality, I’m sure that is agreed,
What a strike by Bolo Zenden! They don’t come any sweeter,
Worthy of deciding any game: an absolute world-beater.

Riggott set things rolling with a great ball way out left,
He picked out Stewart Downing, whose first touch was truly deft,
The ball’s chipped to Mark Viduka but he couldn’t get control,
And Zenden struck from twenty yards for a truly awesome goal.

This set-back for the visitors led to total disarray,
With Boro striving endlessly to twist the tourniquet,
Downing’s haring in on goal, ‘most half the field he carried,
The shot can’t find the net but for a corner’s parried.

Then Viduka, with his back to goal, tried an acrobatic kick,
Which landed on the netting and had the ‘keeper looking sick,
Spectacular though this effort was, a goal was just denied,
But Lazio, it must be said, look a really worried side.

Boateng and Di Canio both sent shots over the top,
The Boro are attacking and it’s virtually non-stop,
Viduka mesmerised them and soon had them on retreat,
Then he sadly couldn’t get the ball from underneath his feet.

A venomous shot from Parlour, seeking a goal so rare,
Had the little Lazio ‘keeper flying through the air,
It was struck from quite a distance with Boro looking ever stronger,
But sadly, Ray will have to wait, at least a little longer.

Filippini’s homing in on goal and suddenly he shoots,
And Bernie comments, “Is he wearing Rumplestiltskin’s boots,”
The attempt was simply dreadful and they’ve not been in the swim,
The Boro have been quite wonderful and the visitors really Grimm.

The half has really flown by, a usual indication,
That the lads have done the business and deserve the adoration,
The action has been constant and the effort’s never waned,
Raise your glasses to the Boro; we’ve been richly entertained.

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Boro must keep the foot well down on the accelerator,
And retain their obvious mastery over the Lazio gladiator,
The personnel remain unchanged, though Lazio, with great haste,
Soon took off Delgado, who was speedily replaced.

Viduka, with his back to goal, showed quite amazing strength,
As he received the ball from Jimmy and kept his marker at arm’s length,
He was searching for an opening but, rather sadly, never found it,
When it came to the crunch he couldn’t wrap his foot around it.

Queudrue’s right up there in attack, showing great ambition,
When he finds himself, amazingly, in the number nine position,
He brought in Stewart Downing to impose his unique torture,
And he released a screaming shot: a truly brilliant scorcher.

He tried to curl it goalwards but after doing all the good work,
His brilliant effort – by just inches – narrowly missed the woodwork,
As the helpless ‘keeper looked on, filled with total apprehension,
For a second Boro goal would certainly ease the home fans’ tension.

Schwarzer sets up Boro with another mighty clearance,
And Downing wins a gamble, just by sheer perseverance,
He sought to lob the ‘keeper with his skill that’s so unending,
But the ball was cleared from off the line by some resolute defending.

Di Canio gave McMahon just a little cause to worry,
Which brought danger for the Boro, but just in a wee, brief flurry,
Riggott saw the problem and was quick to help his mate,
And a ball, flashed right across the goal, was the best they could create.

Downing played a glorious ball from way out on the flank,
And it landed to perfection at the feet of Hasselbaink,
Jimmy struck it fiercely and the ‘keeper failed to hold,
But pushed it for a corner so, what might possibly unfold?

Once more it’s Stewart Downing who’s the Boro’s architect,
And his glorious ball to Zenden was totally perfect,
It was curled in with great pace and it bore the Dutchman’s name,
And the outcome was a second great goal, worthy of much acclaim.

The way that Zenden rose, was really something rather grand,
And the ‘keeper once again, was stranded in no man’s land,
The head met the ball majestically and with deliberate direction,
It was totally unstoppable – one-hundred-per-cent perfection.

On tonight’s display young Downing is an absolute joy to see,
Another pinpoint pass to Viduka, who really should have made it three,
The ball in was unerring and direct to the back stick,
Then Viduka headed over and I think he felt quite sick.

Good build-up play by Boro, involving JFH and Vid.,
Found Parlour on the overlap, eager to make his bid,
His final shot was not one of which he’d want to boast,
For it sadly lacked direction and flew the wrong side of the post.

It was then Viduka’s turn to send one wildly o’er the top,
And Lazio can hardly wait for the ref. to call a stop,
They’ve been knocked about unconscious and they’re almost in a coma,
A great victory for the Boro and Arrivederci Roma.

It was a massive team performance, to set the pundits crowing,
But Downing’s magic moments had the Boro fans all glowing,
And for two tremendous goals it must be “Thanks” to Bolo Zenden,
Who ensured that the night had the happiest happy end’n.

This was certainly Boro’s biggest task on the European stage,
Now there can’t be any doubt that they’ve finally come of age,
For all of those attending it was wonderfully thrilling,
And the show the lads put on really lived up to the billing.