The ‘House full’ signs are hanging now on every Riverside door,
It’s bright and very sunny but the Teesside air is raw,
What better way to warm us than have three more points to greet,
And for the first home game this season, finally keep a nice clean sheet.

The opening quarter-hour was, well, really an affront,
Totally full of errors and the awfully wayward punt,
Whilst things towards the back were possibly prettier to watch,
When the ball was moving forward it was usually one long botch.

One can only hope that this is a temporary blip,
For it’s certainly not worthy of the English Premiership,
Both sides are equally guilty of this opening debacle,
And the game now badly needs a quick and truly massive sparkle.

A clearance by Kirkland soared so high above the stand,
So a new ball was required: something certainly not pre-planned,
Then Parlour had a great chance, which he took somewhat in haste,
And lost out to ‘keeper Kirkland: the result? A total waste!

Sixteen minutes in and the game now comes alive,
With Alonso now attacking and he’s soon in overdrive,
His shot, through quite a crowd, bounced on to Finnan rather nicely,
And Schwarzer made the save, being positioned so precisely.

Viduka’s back-heel fell right for Ray, our former Gunner,
And his cross into the box proved to be an absolute stunner,
With the bench, as one, now on their feet in great anticipation,
The ball was missed by all, and brought to fans great irritation.

As Downing charged into the box you’d have bet your final penny,
Then the opportunity is wasted as he takes a touch too many,
And the resulting corner kick was not particularly well propelled,
So this latest Boro pressure was quite easily repelled.

Downing’s great delivery on to the head of Gallic Franck,
Who headed narrowly over from a range about point-blank,
Then Hyypia’s shown a yellow for blocking Boro’s quick free-kick,
Which Downing once more wasted and was given some real stick.

Queudrue’s quite terrific run then a ball that was spot-on,
He was described, when running, as being like a graceful swan,
Viduka had his shot blocked, but a corner kick was won,
It appears the Boro’s offensive has now earnestly begun.

Suddenly Boro get the breakthrough, and who’s leading the stampede?
Chris Riggott, who is so high up, the main danger’s a nosebleed,
He’s just three yards from Liverpool’s goal and what a lovely story,
As he finds the net then turns away, to bask in all the glory.

There was another Downing cross of truly wonderful precision,
Then it was left to Riggott for a really quick decision,
With the inside of his right foot he beats the Liverpool defence,
But young Downing’s contribution was undoubtedly immense.

As Liverpool seek to equalise, the pressure’s quite severe,
Then they had a ‘goal’ struck off, put in the net by Luis Garcia,
He was offside by about three yards although the visitors did protest,
But ref. Steve Bennett let them know he was totally unimpressed.

Viduka had a great chance that he should have then despatched,
But he somehow lost his way and then in the end he snatched,
The goal was at his mercy and a goal’s long overdue,
And Boro, as the whistle blows, should now have led by two.

The first half was quite awful, despite Ali’s camouflage,
And that applies to both teams in this contest, by and large,
If it doesn’t get much better it’ll drive the fans to drink,
For although they lead by one the Boro are living on the brink.

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During the half-time interval, after the way that they’d performed,
Both sets of players then had their ears well and truly warmed,
“White hot” was said to be the scene, behind secured portals,
With voices raised in anger: but not too many chortles.

The teams remain unchanged and the second half commences,
Hopefully things improve or I fear the consequences,
Because Man. U. have already won and, to fulfil our own ambition,
We need three further points today to maintain fourth position.

Within just sixty seconds and the most severe admonishing,
Schwarzer’s save from Kewell was, quite simply, just astonishing,
The header was from point-blank range and Schwarzer was immaculate,
And one disbelieving Aussie was denied by his compatriot.

Some thought it reminiscent of England’s ‘keeper, Gordon Banks,
Against Brazil, so long ago, for which he still receives our thanks,
Praise doesn’t come much higher and the fans are on cloud nine,
Now Boro must pull out all the stops to get Schwarzer to re-sign.

Boro quickly countered, with Hyypia easily brushed aside,
By JFH, inside the box, and pressure’s being applied,
A corner was conceded and the fans are now delighted,
For, although it came to nothing, the game has finally been ignited.

Parlour’s working tirelessly, with tremendous attitude,
His great ball picked out Downing who, unfortunately, miscued,
Then Gerrard’s back from injury, his hunger undiminished,
And Hamann leaves the field of play; his day’s work now being finished.

Kewell wins a free-kick for a foul for which he’s looking,
For a pullback, twenty yards from goal, and Southgate gets a booking,
Gerrard took the kick, which fell just right for Luis Garcia,
But he volleyed it so high it almost reached the stratosphere.

A Boro move to marvel, when Alonso gives the ball away,
And with Liverpool now rocking, Bolo Zenden made them pay,
With many players combining as the Dutchman led the swarm,
To make it five in five games in this richest seam of form.

The Boro took full advantage and no mercy then was shown,
Another fine example of how this Boro side has grown,
Jimmy and Downing played their parts but there remains one riddle,
How did it take about a year to play Bolo in the middle?

‘Pool manager, Benitez, expressed his great dissatisfaction,
By his subbing of Josemi to let Pongolle join in the action,
Happy with their defending, was something he was not,
As they stood aside and simply allowed Bolo to pick his spot.

Schwarzer’s come a long way to the edge of Boro’s box,
And questions must be asked, as it was quite unorthodox,
For Kewell danced around him and then got the chance to shoot,
But, thankfully, the angle proved for him just too acute.

A needless foul by Boateng on the visitor’s Steve Gerrard,
Brought the referee’s displeasure and another yellow card,
Gerrard then stepped forward, with a little too much haste,
And a decent opportunity had, quite simply, gone to waste.

Hyypia heads to safety a great ball from Franck Queudrue,
As, in the closing stages, Boro seek to turn the screw,
Then Liverpool again decide that it’s time to rearrange,
With Biscan on for Alonso, being their last permitted change.

Job comes on for Jimmy, who doesn’t seem to be too chuffed,
But we need him fit for Thursday, to see Villarreal get stuffed,
Then huge applause for Zenden after a rather awkward fall,
And Nemeth takes his place and everyone knows he’ll give his all.

Then the final whistle sounds, to see Steve McClaren glowing,
Thankful for three further points and the confidence that’s growing,
And, of course, it must be said, there’s at least one further reason,
The Boro maintained a ‘home’ clean sheet, for the very first time this season.

Now to summarise quite briefly, and perhaps I have a duty,
That second half was wonderful and Bolo’s goal a beauty,
So, next we’re off to sunny Spain and we mustn’t be in awe,
Do bring at least a point bank home, I beg you, por favor!