Last season’s F.A. Cup third round, today is being repeated,
And surely it’s not possible that the Boro can be defeated?
Nevertheless, it can be felt, that most fans’ breath is bated,
Notts County, do rest assured, mustn’t be underestimated.

Meadow Lane’s the venue for today’s big F.A. clash,
And talk of five-nil for the Boro, is utter balderdash,
It’s very cold and blustery and the atmosphere is cracking,
With 2000 travelling Boro fans to give the team their backing.

Within just ten short seconds of the match official’s whistle,
The hairs upon one’s neck did suddenly start to bristle,
A corner forced by Downing and the fans then left their seats,
But within another minute they were all as white as sheets.

For the Boro were expected to remain so much the calmer,
Then came about a moment of the very highest drama,
And County’s fans went ‘wild’ as they hollered and they whooped,
As Scully’s shot deflected and high over Schwarzer looped.

But we’d dillied and we’d dallied so we really can’t complain,
As shock waves, well up the Richter scale, were felt at Meadow Lane,
Ugo’s cruel deflection left the Boro in a trance,
And Schwarzer, in the Boro goal, was left without a chance.

It’s County sweeping forward with great purpose and direction,
And Ugo’s luck was better with another huge deflection,
David Pipe was out of luck; they’re very hard to quell,
That could have been a second and we’re playing not too well.

Downing’s ball across the goal was of the highest order,
But the strikers remained static; including Jimmy the marauder,
It’s been a nervous start for Boro; that really has to be conceded,
But there’s plenty time, of that I’m sure, but a goal is sorely needed.

Downing took a corner, aided by the swirling wind,
And County, to their credit, remained totally disciplined,
As it arced towards the Magpies’ goal, defenders did combine,
Then sadly, for the visitors, the ball was headed off the line.

Scully, from a free-kick, should have made our ‘keeper work,
And McClaren, not surprisingly, is going quite berserk,
The man was totally unmarked and no challenge was forthcoming,
Against so-called lesser opposition, we were totally mind-numbing.

A free-kick taken quickly found the Boro almost sleeping,
And it seemed, to all around, the ball into the net was creeping,
While we struggled with the wall we were speedily upstaged,
Leaving Schwarzer unprotected and quite clearly enraged.

A free-kick to the Boro was moved forward for dissent,
Then Downing’s wondrous ball was wasted, much to my astonishment,
We had three red shirts a’ waiting but not one could make it count,
This ‘inferior’ opposition is proving so hard to surmount.

A great ball in from Pipe then brought a Scully downward header,
Which almost found the target, to make the Boro’s faces redder,
Downing cleared the corner then he ‘flew’ along the flank,
And the Boro won a corner from good work by Hasselbaink.

Downing’s pinpoint delivery was, quite simply, so divine,
And Joseph Job’s great header was once more cleared off the line,
Then the ever-dangerous Scully left Doriva treading water,
Until Reiziger brought relief to every Middlesbrough supporter.

Scully’s been the danger man; of that there is no doubt,
But being just one goal in arrears, we’re still in there with a shout,
The first half’s been quite nervous and at times so awfully scrappy,
And the manager, Steve McClaren, won’t be a very happy chappie.

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Boro show one change from the eleven men who started,
Danny Graham’s now joined the fray and Morrison’s departed,
Soon the game is under way in conditions rather gusty,
And McClaren’s looking worried: whilst Ugo appears rusty.

Pipe can’t cope with Downing, Boro’s ultimate tormentor,
Who turns him inside out before flinging in his centre,
But, from just about a metre, Jimmy’s miss has me astonished,
For a man of his ability he ought to be admonished.

First of all ‘twas Joseph Job, but he mistimed his leap,
Then the richest of all harvests was there for Hasselbaink to reap,
But he completely missed his kick, then the follow-up fell to Job,
But it was cleared, from off the line, to end this latest probe.

As Boro are still labouring, up steps Doriva, the Brazilian,
To score with such a sizzling strike that could be worth a million,
It screamed past ‘keeper Deeney, from fully thirty yards,
Doriva’s first goal brought relief: now is a victory on the cards?

It had started off when Reiziger hit a quite tremendous drive,
And the clearance found Doriva, to keep our hopes alive,
Finally, never-say-die Notts County, had at last conceded,
Bringing great joy for Boro and boy! Was that goal really needed!

Queudrue released Doriva with a swerve and then a shimmy,
Then came a really long ball, right to the feet of Jimmy,
He appeared as if to shoot when I believe he heard a shout,
Then brought in Joseph Job but he was finally crowded out.

After playing 75 minutes with the first half spent in shock,
Job came to Boro’s rescue and the fans began to rock,
It was Job who, once again, was the Boro’s magic genie,
When he confidently side-footed past the Notts despairing Deeney.

But if one thing is a ‘leveller’ it’s the glamorous F.A. Cup,
And certainly Notts County weren’t intent on giving up,
When Graham headed off the line and Schwarzer saved one-handed,
As the Magpies play with massive pride: one really must be candid.

Much credit goes to County as they continue with great pride,
And for more than sixty minutes they were a thorn in Boro’s side,
Perhaps it could be said that we took them far too lightly,
But in the end, the class showed through, and we won 2-1: quite rightly

Throughout the game, the Magpies, were simply quite terrific,
But the second half, in truth, was only one-way traffic,
After a proverbial game of two halves, the Boro claimed the bounty,
And, after a justified standing ovation, we doff our hats now to Notts County.