It’s the thirteenth today: unlucky for some,
But there’s no way, I feel sure, that the Boro will succumb,
For a victory this evening would really go down a bomb,
And bring a Riverside showdown against Mogga’s West Brom.

So, defeat tonight by Bristol would be absolutely hellish,
And to play against the Boro is something Mowbray will relish,
Twenty-eight times we’ve met ‘Robins’ and we’ve only lost twice,
The Riverside is quite full, thanks to tickets at cut-price.

Boro will seek an early goal to settle any nerves,
But in this game one usually gets no more than one deserves,
So I’ve gazed long and hard into my little ball of crystal,
And that reveals we’ll just scrape through, past the City side from Bristol.

The start was awfully scrappy though City showed great intent,
By passing so much better, they would tease us and torment,
Then to no one’s great surprise, our offside trap was easily sprung,
And all around the Riverside the Boro hands were being wrung.

David Noble did the damage for a lead that they deserved,
And it was clear for all to see: the Boro were certainly unnerved,
As ‘Robins’ gathered joyfully, the scorer to embrace,
Though, defensively for Boro, it was an absolute disgrace.

“Easy, easy,” chanted City fans, with still an hour to play,
Whilst Boro’s faithful looked on at their side in disarray,
Boro were slow and sluggish: they showed no zip or drive,
Improvement’s quickly needed for the Boro to survive.

Boro trudged off at half-time, to long and deafening boos,
No doubt all were expecting that the boss would blow a fuse,
Some changes are now needed, to put the matter right,
For the prize at stake is massive and we dare not lose tonight.

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And so the game re-starts with Boro fingers tightly crossed,
Because, to date, we’ve struggled and been well and truly bossed,
A double-change is made and we bring on Davies and The Duke,
How long, I think, before we see, another Aussie Nuke.

Viduka made an impact which, in truth, was quite amazing,
As Boro, finally fired up, came back out with all guns blazing,
The pressure on City mounted and it must now be maintained,
Then Viduka’s on the rampage and every single neck is craned.

Stewart Downing, on the right, then did what he alone does best,
Crossed the ball precisely and Viduka did the rest,
He was so composed and cool but now the pressure must be upped,
Then with just a bit of luck a couple of glasses will be supped.

With City sinking ever deeper and appearing to tire,
Have Boro got the ‘bottle’ and the necessary desire?
Stew Downing was unlucky and he looked up to the heavens,
When he struck the Bristol post they were at sixes and at sevens.

Adam Johnson then let fly with a quite amazing scorcher,
Struck underneath the Bristol bar and he turned away in torture,
It bounced down on the line and it seemed we were in clover,
But Viduka failed to finish and he somehow put it over.

Boro’s changes brought good fortune and now, at least, we’re still alive,
As extra-time now beckons we must go into overdrive,
To overcome the ‘Robins,’ who deserve the highest praise,
They look down but they’re not out, if I may coin a certain phrase.

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Bristol’s Herculean efforts are taking now a heavy toll,
As Yakubu, ever-hungry, bears down on the ‘Robins’ goal,
McCombe then cynically tripped him, well inside the box,
And soon we were to witness one of Boro’s greatest shocks.

The culprit went unpunished then their ‘keeper took front stage,
And his match-delaying antics had the Boro in a rage,
His gloves came off and then he stooped to fasten up his laces,
And Boro could do nothing but look on with stony faces.

Chris Weale was never carded then his acting was rewarded,
The Yak’s attempt was awful and he felt he’d been defrauded,
The Riverside crowd was stunned and looked on in disbelief,
He is normally so cool: would the Boro now come to grief?

But Yakubu got revenge with a tap-in from three yards,
Johnson was the architect: now a victory’s on the cards,
Viduka mesmerised the ‘Robins’: he’s a master of his trade,
He beat five or six in no space to earn the biggest accolade.

Viduka laid on chances, enough to win two games,
But frustration only followed as he tried to fan the flames,
Yakubu missed two sitters: oh, when will this game be ending?
Then Pogatetz kept us in it with some great, world-class defending.

Then came a comedy of errors with the hosts under the cosh,
Were we looking at defeat and then the loss of so much dosh?
Should we lose another goal then that would really be precarious,
But the tone was somewhat lightened, which spectators found hilarious.

For a man ran on the field, to much great laughter from the crowd,
Though he didn’t have a figure of which anyone could be proud,
Wearing only baggy undies, a ‘Mr. World’ he never wuz,
And he was speedily removed and quickly picked up by the fuzz.

Once the crowd had settled after unscheduled commotion,
Bristol got a second: a goal scored in slow, slow motion,
So, the Boro paid the price for the chances that they’d missed,
Now it’s all come down to penalties: what will be the final twist?

But, take nought away from Bristol: they’ve got here as of right,
To express it otherwise would be hugely impolite,
I am almost lost for words as I await the awful lottery,
I cannot take much more and I’m now feeling somewhat tottery.

But, in the end, it all came right: I knew that we’d succeed,
Though it isn’t recommended, for anyone weak-kneed,
5 – 4 we won it on the night, with City valiant losers,
Sending Boro fans in droves into the many local boozers.

Schwarzer was the hero as he defied the ‘Robins’ twice,
A repeat against the ‘Baggies’: now wouldn’t that be nice?
Relief around the Riverside oozed from out of every sinew,
Congratulations, Boro: and may this Cup run long continue.