A long, hard season lies ahead,
As some fans call for Southgate’s head,
Such is the depth of those fans’ frustration,
They already talk of relegation.

It’s ‘The Blues’ today under manager Moyes,
A real, stern test, for the Boro ‘boys,’
For defeat we just can’t contemplate,
We must improve before it gets too late.

For ‘The Toon’ are Boro’s next opposition,
When we’ll need to show improved ambition,
Just eight games on from Steve McClaren,
With things already looking somewhat barren.

Yes, we’re deep indeed in troubled waters,
But now’s not the time to panic,
The Boro are unsinkable,
But that was said about ‘Titanic.’

Downing’s welcomed back from his trip to foreign parts,
And he knows he’s held so close in the Boro people’s hearts,
Also, champing at the bit, is new defender, Robert Huth,
To provide the class for which there is, in truth, no substitute.

Everton fans are many, on this grey October day,
Their team is undefeated but we need to win this fray,
The inspirational Boateng’s back, to add that extra bite,
And I’m confident (I think) that he’ll ease the Boro’s plight.

In the opening fifteen minutes the Riverside stadium often shook,
As Everton pressed relentlessly, Schwarzer got us off the hook,
Huth then stopped Arteta (after Davies sold his soul),
With international composure, to avert a certain goal.

Viduka, newly back from Oz, displayed outstanding skill,
But the ball was taken of his toe, when about to make the kill,
Boro finally came to life and at last they’re looking fresher,
A much, much better spell after constant Toffees’ pressure.

A shot was cleared from off the line, from Portuguese Valente,
It swerved about but Schwarzer proved he has the class aplenty.
But ‘Blues’ are ever-dangerous and causing us great trouble,
I don’t wish to be alarmist, but last year they did the double.>br>

Then came ‘keeper Howard’s outrageous challenge on the Yak,
A penalty was awarded, causing Moyes to blow his stack,
Up stepped our man, Yakubu, with great elegance and style,
Placed it calmly past the ‘keeper, so our lads, at last, could smile.

Now concentration’s what is called for, with the Boro fans all roaring,
Teams are often vulnerable immediately after scoring,
But ‘The Blues’ are looking rattled and we have them on the ropes,
Could we get a final knockout? That has got to be our hopes.

Simon Davies thought he’d scored with a shot from point blank range,
But Pogatetz thought otherwise and he gave their man short change,
Boro disappointed as several scoring chances beckoned,
And we need to kill them off: yes, we really need a second.

We got to half-time one goal up but it should have been much better,
What a let-off at the whistle; an in-swinger from Arteta,
But Huth remained quite firm and was clearly unstressed,
As he stood out on his debut, head & shoulders o’er the rest.

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Toffees came out early, but the Boro kept them waiting,
And referee Mark Halsey found that rather irritating,
Then ‘something’ dropped from out of the main official’s shorts,
‘Twas to do with technology, according to reports.

The game had to be halted, whilst his dress was then adjusted,
But Mr. Halsey, we already know, is a man who can be trusted,
Then the game is underway, with the visitors really strong,
And Yobo rose, just like a bird, but got his timing wrong.

Euell was then unlucky and could not provide the goods,
He looked a cert but got the ball ‘stuck’ underneath his studs,
Then a clear handball from Lescott earned for us a second pen,
And an eager Boro crowd hoped Yak could do the same again.

This time Howard was the victor and he turned the ball away,
And Boro lost the chance to further turn the tourniquet,
We went on to miss more chances and one wondered, at what cost?
Would The Toffees be encouraged and provide a swift riposte?

Thankfully, that was not to be and we found another breach,
Great build-up combination then we saw an absolute peach,
Jason Euell and Yakubu showed great footwork: really neat,
Viduka buried it in style so now we need a nice clean sheet.

Sadly, that was not to be, but would our day be spoiled?
Tim Cahill scored a cracker so the Boro’s clean sheet was soiled,
He nutmegged Robert Huth with a brilliant bit of skill,
So the remaining fifteen minutes might be very much uphill.

Boro nails were being bitten: how many more fresh twists and turns?
Please blow the final whistle, is what everybody yearns,
We need a little breather, just some temporary relief,
But The Toffees’ pressure’s mounting and they’re out to cause us grief.

The American, Tim Howard, pulled off a quite amazing block,
As Cattermole stung his fingers with ten minutes left on the clock,
Although The Toffees came back strongly, their unbeaten run was shattered,
And for the jubilant Boro faithful, that was all that really mattered.

After a quite enthralling battle there were sighs of great relief,
Though David Moyes was displeased, as he stared in disbelief,
Three greatly needed points, but it’s not yet time to croon,
We need to do it all again, next week, against ‘The Toon.’