The referee’s whistle blows and this cup game is now on,
I understand that the home team normally plays it by route one,
And when the details were revealed of today’s Boro team,
I honestly thought that it must be something of a dream.

I had thought a couple of the first-team men might well be rested,
So that others – right on the fringe of things – could then be tested,
But I honestly couldn’t believe it and I looked upwards to heaven,
At the moment when it was announced we’d changed the whole eleven.

‘Captain’ Cooper launched a long, high ball so far down the field,
Which, within a matter of seconds, a goal almost did yield,
It sat up so very nicely, that one immediately had the feelin’,
That a quick goal, for the Boro, would now come from Noel Whelan.

He got this great opportunity from an early Brentford clanger,
And he managed then to launch the Boro’s first strike in anger,
Then Smith, the home goalkeeper, what a brilliant save he made,
A corner for the Boro and less than one full minute played.

The corner then was cleared by a hasty Brentford pass,
But it fell so very kindly into the path of Dean Windass,
He then brought Alan Johnston back into the play,
Whose shot was sure a cracker but Smith once more stood in his way.

Marcus fell inside the box and how wild Roget looked,
It was clearly a dive and our man might well have been booked,
Now the newly-confident ‘Bees’ seeking to raise a head of steam,
And they’re striving now most urgently to realise their dream.

It was then that we saw Dobson really sprinting down the right,
And his truly fantastic cross was really quite some sight,
It flew right to the head of McCammon, the Brentford giant,
But he couldn’t get past Mark Crossley, Boro’s own “Mr. Reliant.”

And the Boro fans didn’t now have very long to wait,
With a strike from Carlos the Argentinean that was, quite simply, great!
Alen Johnston’s pass managed to find him, but only just in time,
And then Marinelli’s strike on goal was really quite sublime.

Johnston had, most certainly, once more played his part,
In what, for the Boro, had proved a very healthy start,
And the finish, I feel sure, almost everyone will agree,
Was as sweet as any other that you will ever see.

Very soon, for the Brentford fans, things looked really tragic,
As we witnessed, with tremendous joy, the Marinelli magic,
He danced straight past a couple then again he made it happen,
As he laid one on for Whelan, with another simple tap in.

With Boro now unstoppable, especially on the wings,
And Carlos Marinelli is once more pulling all the strings,
They’re making it look so easy, every time they score,
And it already has me wondering, out loud, “How many more?”

But Brentford are not going to take this all lying down,
And their on-loan Striker, Vine, almost brought a Boro frown,
His effort was a good one and they’re now turning up the heat,
But Crossley in the Boro goal is proving impossible to beat.

McClaren’s in his area, as usual, doing his coaching,
Now a tremendous save by Crossley, with the half-time whistle approaching,
That’s the umpteenth time he’s saved us from the ever-busy ‘Bees,’
And now we’re looking for a third goal, before the half-time teas.

In the very dying moments of this interesting first half,
We saw Dean Windass retiring with an injury to his calf,
All in all it was a good half for the Boro fans to see,
Now it seems we have a foothold in the tournament’s round three.

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So the second half begins with the Brentford fans all frowning,
And in place of injured Windass we now see Stuart Downing,
With ‘Bees’ no longer standing back in total admiration,
They’ve clearly been told to “Get stuck in.” Use your imagination!

They’re no longer showing much respect and they’re raising many hackles,
Then Whelan went into the book after one of many naughty tackles,
Vine went on the rampage and Boro appeared to be rocked,
Fantastic lunge by Parnaby and the threat was quickly blocked.

Then some idiot spectator threw a bottle made of glass,
Which flew past ‘keeper Crossley’s head and landed, thankfully, on the grass,
Thank god this type of conduct is now no longer rife,
But should the culprit now be caught, he should be banned for life.

Then Brentford had the opportunity to get back in the game,
Someone missed a ‘sitter,’ McCammon was the name,
It seemed the ball sent in to him caught him totally by surprise,
And instead of simply burying it he must have closed his eyes.

We were then robbed in midfield: Wilson got caught in possession,
Cause taken up by Brentford’s Vine, showing plenty of aggression,
He then really tested Crossley, who went flying through the air,
To thwart the oncoming forward who was showing lots of flair.

Boro look uncomfortable and the ‘Bees’ are showing no fear,
As again they’re surging forward to give their fans something to cheer,
A ball on to the penalty spot and O’Connor there to find it,
Full-blooded though his effort was, Crossley was right behind it.

Crossley’s the hero once again; how monotonous this is getting!
A wonderful ball in from the right just finds the Boro’s side netting,
They’re cranking up the pressure with their very frequent rushes,
And in goal it is Mark Crossley who has saved the Boro’s blushes.

There wasn’t any pressure when a corner was conceded,
Another chance for Boro to score the third goal that they needed,
The ’keeper totally lost it then seemed to throw it in the net,
Offside against Noel Whelan: the most amazing ruling yet.

At last we saw the Boro in a totally brilliant patch,
Scoring two goals inside a minute: now surely game, set and match!
The first was from Mark Wilson as he found top corner right,
Then Boro Boy Stuart Downing bade the Brentford fans “Goodnight.”

Brentford’s three substitutions brought some very late consolation,
When a goal in the last seconds led to subdued celebration,
It would have been much nicer had a clean sheet been preserved,
But a late goal for the ‘Bees’ was the least that they deserved.