This should be a game with just a little added spice,
Against the Wanderers of Bolton, managed by Sam Allardyce,
Still smarting from last season and the Carling Cup defeat,
I’m sure he’d find three points today so very, very sweet.

Bolton, you will see, will erect their proverbial firewall,
Seeking, where necessary, to have eleven behind the ball,
They’re not particularly pretty but they’re certainly effective,
And they’ll be sent out by big Sam, with just the one objective.

The Boro fans, of late, have certainly had their appetites whetted,
And it’s “Thanks to Steven Gibson,” to whom we’re all indebted,
The place is really buzzing after last Thursday’s Lazio night,
But this game against the Wanderers will be a much, much tougher fight

Downing makes the start, much to everyone’s delight,
But the thing that’s puzzling most is that he’s starting on the right,
Zenden’s fine ball picked out Job, whose jump was not perfect,
And the ‘keeper read it beautifully and was able to collect.

What a terrific run by Parlour; it really was first class,
Thanks to Downing’s vision and another splendid pass,
Ray’s heading fast towards the goal then, much to our dismay,
Jaaskelainen dashed out from his goal to chest the ball away.

Both teams are far too cagey, which has its own knock-on effect,
And Boro seem to show the Wanderers far too much respect,
We’re a better team than Bolton and needn’t be so apprehensive,
Let’s show a little more invention and get back on the offensive.

Hunt took out Bolo Zenden with a tackle from the rear,
He was punished with a yellow although he actually got the sphere,
The kick was left to Queudrue, who quickly turned away red-faced,
As he failed to beat the first man: a complete and utter waste.

Mid-way through the half we saw the best move of the game,
A rifled ball from right back brought young McMahon deserved acclaim,
It sped to outside left for Job and Zenden to combine,
Then the linesman’s flag was raised but it was really borderline.

Then came a massive cheer when Boro finally made the switch,
With Downing on the left you felt a part of Hunt then twitch,
After creating not a chance so far, not even the slightest glimmer,
Things might not yet be boiling but they are just about to simmer.

A great cross in from Downing causing mayhem on the wing,
Then a terrific run by Zenden and he’s just about to spring,
Until a wonderful intervention by the Wanderers N’Gotty,
Cleared the imminent danger: it’s enough to drive you potty.

Jimmy picks out Parlour, who had an excellent drag-back,
Which put him in position to go on and have a crack,
As the ball was goalwards bound, a goal seemed almost guaranteed,
But it was headed out, from off the line, by an unbelieving Speed.

Kevin Davies then joined Hunt in the referee’s pocket book,
For a desperate lunge at Franck, who fell to earth and really shook,
The ref. quite rightly booked him then told him to cut the cackle,
He’d been niggling all day long: it was an awfully late tackle.

It’s been a most frustrating game from the start right to the whistle,
And it won’t be a surprise, were we to see a late dismissal,
Compared to Boro’s game with Lazio this has seemed almost untrue,
Neither ‘keeper has been tested and we’ve still got lots to do.

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Boro’s two attackers have been strangely so suppressed,
But, thanks to Steve McClaren, that problem now has been addressed,
The warning signs are there that this game could soon turn sour,
So Viduka’s on for Joseph Job, for that little extra power.

Good combination play by Boro then saw Franck Queudrue in space
He looked up then found Viduka: what a ball! An absolute ace!
Mark’s header beat the ‘keeper, with a most majestic leap,
It struck the inside of the post, then bounced to safety: I could weep.

Davies picks out Diouf, who had his back towards the goal,
He twisted on a sixpence, showing excellent control,
Thankfully, Mark Schwarzer was, as usual, most alert,
And made his first save of the day, so Boro remain unhurt.

Stelios then went to ground and looked like he’d been mugged,
When Queudrue grabbed his shoulder and his shirt was being tugged,
The yellow card was hoisted and, quite rightly, to be blunt,
Then Wanderers made a change by substituting Nicky Hunt.

A long throw-in by Bolton, which Boateng headed out,
Sat up nicely for Hierro, who gave it one almighty clout,
Though it cleared the Boro bar he did strike it rather well,
Then Bolton brought about a further change of personnel.

El-Hadji Diouf was guilty of another niggling foul,
With McMahon being the ‘target,’ and how the Boro fans did howl,
Parlour, on the right then picked out Vid., so what’s the betting?
But his header narrowly failed and struck the Wanderers’ side netting.

Then came a Bolton corner that was needlessly conceded,
And it was fumbled by Mark Schwarzer, who appeared to be impeded,
Another corner then resulted from that moment’s indecision,
And Schwarzer needed treatment after some sort of collision.

The ball flung in by Diouf was very accurately arced,
And picked out Henrik Pedersen, standing totally unmarked,
He headed through a ruck of five to inflict a killer blow,
And impose misery on the Boro and leave the Wanderers aglow.

On the edge of Wanderers’ area, Jimmy Floyd then bit the dust,
A free kick was awarded that filled Allardyce with disgust,
Jimmy’s strike then hit the post; quite brilliantly executed,
Then it bounced just wide of target with the goalkeeper still rooted.

McMahon made way for Morrison, as the Boro chase the match,
And there’s little time remaining now to find a purple patch,
Parlour makes a chance for Jimmy, which he inexplicably balloons,
And that instantly begs the question, “Will this be one of those afternoons?”

It’s now Floyd v Jaaskelainen and our man is cynically felled,
And to now produce a red card the referee is just compelled,
JFH then took the kick but failed to keep his cool,
And sent it high above the bar and ‘keeper, Kevin Poole.

With 45 minutes played and the game so quickly dying,
Schwarzer goes up for a corner, which I found most satisfying,
Despite the good intention it all sadly came to nought,
And with four minutes’ added time the situation remains most taut.

But a game is never over until the referee’s whistle’s blown,
And great work out wide by Morrison ends up in the danger zone,
Parlour struck a beauty and then saw the ‘keeper fumble,
And finally, thank goodness, we then saw the Wanderers crumble.

George Boateng was the hero, with his right foot, low and hard,
And it nestled in the Bolton net, to beat their rearguard,
He doesn’t score too often but that is two for this campaign,
And I wish that Bernie’d given him a bottle of champagne.

All-in-all the game was poor, with the Boro rather sloppy,
So let’s hope the match v Liverpool doesn’t turn out a carbon copy,
But at least we grabbed a point when defeat had stared us in the face,
And we still remain in 5th and that is certainly no disgrace.