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It’s a sell-out crowd today and the many flags are quivering,
In the bitter, icy wind, the fans are truly shivering,
United have already said that they really need to win it,
And the game gets underway, on time, in just under a minute.

The Boro tails are also up; they’re ready for the action,
And next Sunday’s great Cup Final shouldn’t be a real distraction,
So sit back now and enjoy it, as the ‘mystery’ unravels,
For Boro have done rather well so far this season on their travels.

The whistle’s blown by Graham Poll so the game is up and running,
And almost instantly Bernard gets in a run that’s simply stunning,
Both Ehiogu and Mills were then left floundering in his wake,
As the cavalier carved an opening which he thankfully didn’t take.

A totally needless foul by Gareth Southgate on Toon’s Bellamy,
I simply can not comprehend, no, not even for the hell o’ me!
He was almost on the corner flag and showing not the slightest threat,
How foolish he will look if this ball ends up in the net.

Thankfully it was cleared as Juninho goalwards bounded,
Stopped at the last moment as by three men he was surrounded,
Joseph Job had brought him in and they both appeared hell-bent,
And certainly the wee man’s already posted his Notice of Intent.

Five yards in from the touchline, Bernard is blocked by Mendieta,
And Bramble, with a header, should perhaps have done much better,
Robert curled in a great ball from the far side of the park,
The final effort’s slightly wide but the warning is quite stark.

Newcastle were carved wide open by a superb Mendi trick,
He then sent in a lovely ball right on the hosts’ back stick,
Sadly, Bolo Zenden’s touch was heavy, it must be said by far,
And he disappointed when he fired high over the Geordies’ bar.

The game has now gone awfully flat for a great Tyne/Tees attraction,
And restless fans are clamouring for an increase in the action,
It’s reflecting today’s weather which is dull and rather dour,
But things will soon improve, of that I’m absolutely sure.

Bellamy just outside the box by Southgate now is pushed,
For Geordies, great expectation, whilst the Boro fans are now hushed,
With tremendous power the ball is fired, goalwards by Alan Shearer,
Schwarzer saved magnificently but it couldn’t have been much nearer.

Mark pushed it for a corner, which was taken by Robert,
As the ball homed in on goal, Schwarzer could only stand and stare,
A second corner’s then awarded as the ‘keeper looks bemused,
It came to nought after a foul, although I know not who’s accused.

Suddenly Boro take the lead and it’s right out of the blue,
Boateng picked out Bolo and he knew just what to do,
It appeared as if he’d lost it and made the angle too acute,
But he recovered really brilliantly and then found the space to shoot.

It all came out of nothing for the Boro lads all in red,
With the great ball in to Zenden who then left the Toon for dead,
Their defence at home this term hasn’t been like any old colander,
But that was an absolute sizzler for the Boro’s own Flying Hollander.

Given’s kick’s then flicked by Shearer on to Bellamy the flyer,
He then threads a great ball through into the path of Dyer,
Who appeared to lack conviction as he raced in for the kill,
And a good strong glove from Schwarzer kept the score-line at one-nil.

Almost on the final ‘peep,’ our lead was nearly doubled,
With United looking on the rocks, they’re once more being troubled,
Zenden sought to pull the trigger, seeking further Boro glory,
But the ball ends up with Given and so ends my first half story.

Some thought the game quite even and with not a lot to choose,
But the Geordie fans said everything with their prolonged and loud boos,
It certainly wasn’t pretty but the Boro deserved the lead,
According to ‘legend’ Supermac, although Slaven disagreed.

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No changes made by either side as play now re-commences,
But United quickly up the pace; at least that’s what one senses,
A great chance fell to Job, who stole about a yard on Bramble,
But he took one touch too many when he should have sought to gamble.

A free kick by Alan Shearer was taken really quickly,
He picked out colleague Bellamy, who stole in oh, so quickly,
That link-up was the first one of the day out on the park,
But the Welshman’s first time volley ended well wide of the mark.

As the Boro seemed about to send United down the tube,
The equaliser came, thanks to a great defensive boob,
Bellamy was the predator, who then in adulation basked,
But we really should have cleared and massive questions will be asked.

The ball in from Robert was, in truth, somewhat brilliant,
But Boro’s stalwarts in defence are usually most resilient,
Bellamy was really nowhere near and McClaren will demand,
To know why ‘keeper Schwarzer failed to take on full command.

Boro concede a free kick when seeking to respond,
Up stepped Frenchman Robert and Boro were almost conned,
He cleverly beat the three-man wall, a second goal to contrive,
And Mark parried it for a corner but he had to be alive.

United further upped the tempo and the noise is really booming,
As Bellamy hits a volley, danger now is really looming,
But as the score remains one-one the Boro are still in it,
And it’s great to see that both teams still are striving hard to win it.

Robert took a corner, which Schwarzer fisted clear,
Then Southgate brought down Ambrose as he clipped him from the rear,
The man was going nowhere: our man was seriously at fault,
But a penalty was the outcome and for us an enormous jolt.

Up stepped ‘You know who,’ to bring defeat that little bit nearer,
With the ball instantly despatched by the right foot of Alan Shearer,
Though Schwarzer guessed the right way his dive was all in vain,
And Boro now would seem to face a Toon win once again.

Ricketts and young Downing are quickly brought into the fray,
With Parnaby and Doriva being the players making way,
These latest introductions almost brought about success,
As they forced a Boro corner, with Toon’s defence all in a mess.

Ricketts, with a header, got the ball into the net,
But the offside interpretation is the greatest nonsense yet,
Boro did have men offside; that much is all agreed,
But Ricketts was well on and ‘scored’ with quality and with speed.

This is now a situation, which very speedily needs sorting,
With everyone confused and it isn’t very sporting,
But Boro fizzled out and didn’t realise their hopes,
Although in the final minutes they had the Geordies on the ropes.

So next week it’s the Cup Final and all that it entails,
As Boro take on Bolton, on the 29th in Wales,
“Come on you Boro lads,” we cry, “and may you be victorious,
And bring back home the Carling Cup; now that really would be glorious.”