The weather throughout today has been truly horrendous,
But to take three points from ‘Blues’ would simply be tremendous,
Within the Riverside Stadium the wind’s swirling around,
So it will probably pay for Boro to keep the ball down on the ground.

The whistle has just blown and the ‘show’ has now begun,
Let us now get at the ‘Blues’ for we really owe them one,
After crumbling, post-Cardiff, whilst still suffering from dizziness,
There’s understandably left, some real unfinished business.

Macca beats off a challenge in a move that’s really glorious,
The ‘wee man’ on to ‘Mendi’ who goes through to be victorious,
He wheels away in triumph, cheering every Boro heart,
Let that be the first of many: what a truly splendid start!

The Blues hadn’t reckoned on these very early shocks,
And soon the ball found Forssell, all alone inside the box,
His shot deflects to Schwarzer from off a colleague’s back,
And his really quick delivery sets up another Boro attack.

Birmingham, on the right, now seek to give us lots more hell,
And a great ball sped into the box and then picked out Forssell,
He rose just like a bird, showing such wonderful reaction,
But his header, thankfully, cleared the bar, but by just the merest fraction.

Macca flicked to Mendi in an area where it mattered,
Then came Grainger on the scene and Massimo was cruelly clattered,
There followed a rare old scramble as the goalkeeper then fumbled,
The uncertainty was overcome and Blues weren’t further humbled.

With Maik Taylor looking shaky and Bernie calling for more pots,
Mendieta conjures up the sweetest of what are sometimes called cross-shots,
That bit of Spanish magic left the visitors totally ashen,
At Macca’s desperately-needed goal, plundered in predatory fashion.

With Boro looking comfortable, they suddenly fell asleep,
When, inside sixty seconds, the visitors almost made us weep,
And who should do the damage? You could possibly foretell,
None other than their Finnish star, the one and only Forssell.

Schwarzer was left helpless and he couldn’t do a lot,
Our defenders failed to close him down and Forssell then picked his spot,
The Boro lost their way again and the boss was not impressed,
No doubt he’ll have a lot to say at the half-time interval inquest.

Despite the sudden setback filling everyone with frustration,
The Boro seem much happier with today’s change of formation,
The game’s so entertaining, despite the wind that’s swirling,
And one has the lovely feeling that a wonderful game’s unfurling.

Boro force a corner and soon the Blues’ hearts will be sinking,
This time they were caught asleep, thanks to our speedy thinking,
Captain Southgate thumped it home as defenders stood like statues,
And Birmingham are now rocking and they have really got the blues.

With three already in the bag, who could really ask for more?
Then Macca whips a great ball in as Boro look for number four,
Steve Bruce is incandescent as we almost score again,
But Boro fans show their pleasure with terrific vocal refrain.

It’s Grainger once more on the right and Boro failed to clear,
And ‘that man’ Forssell brought 3-2 so frighteningly near,
He headed with great power: this man never gives up the ghost,
But a breathtaking touch from Schwarzer sent it safely off the post.

Mikael Forssell’s industry even had the home fans clappin’,
When he laid one on a plate for Hughes that needed just a tap-in,
But Schwarzer wasn’t having that and showed such great resilience,
Twice in a flash he stood alone showing unadulterated brilliance.

This great display of ‘keeping that’s being currently unfurled,
You’ll never see it bettered and I mean anywhere in the world,
It’s a show Steve Bruce is finding almost totally unbelievable,
And he’s wondering if the situation is still somehow retrievable.

Yet again Forssell had the Boro all in a mighty flap,
When he put another on a plate, which Hughes just needs to tap,
Schwarzer got a great block then could just look on pensively,
As Boro leaked another goal: being quite naive, defensively.

Just as we saw McClaren looking absolutely blazing,
Up comes Maccarone with a goal that’s quite amazing,
From the narrowest of angles, his goal deserves the highest honour,
Said to be worthy of the ‘Hand of God,’ Diego Marradonna.

But still the visitors won’t lie down and the warning’s really stark,
As Morrison brings a wondrous save, once more from ‘keeper Mark,
This game is certainly not over, and that couldn’t be much blunter,
An incredible game of football: fantastic for the punter.

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Steve Bruce obviously feels that his team’s still in the hunt,
And he brings on John for Johnson, to push three men up the front,
If they’re going to lose it, then they’re going to go down fighting,
But can this second period of play be even half as exciting?

The Blues’ boss blasts the linesman with a look that’s really stony,
As Doriva drills a ball out wide direct to Maccarone,
Bruce seems to think the Boro’s play’s becoming far too physical,
But knowing how hard he played the game, one finds that rather quizzical.

Combining well with Maccarone, Mills is leading the attack,
Causing Blues to panic as their men come streaming back,
Job and Juno in the box caused one almighty scramble,
But the ball drifts to the ‘keeper when our men just failed to gamble.

Some of these missed chances may go on to be regretted,
As Blues pulled back another goal, hugely aided and abetted,
The man to take advantage? Yes, you’ve guessed it: Mik Forssell,
Did we have again the chance to clear? You can judge that for yoursel’.

With the ball in from the left badly defended, all being told,
The header hit inside the post then in it slowly rolled,
As the ball passed under Schwarzer’s frame Boro’s heads were seen to droop,
But in the Birmingham dugout, they’re all feeling cock-a-hoop.

Joseph Job is now replaced, to richly-earned applause,
And on comes Stewart Downing to fight for the Boro’s cause,
The formation is in need of change to ensure greater stability,
In a game where further goals would seem a distinct possibility.

Macca, speeding in on goal, is very nearly throttled,
By Birmingham’s Matthew Upson, but the decision was then bottled,
He should have seen a red card; of that there is no question,
But referee Mr. Rennie ignored it and gave the Boro fans indigestion.

Boro were left floundering by the mercurial Mik Forssell,
Who danced past three red shirts with the speed of a gazelle,
Schwarzer saved amazingly but we mustn’t be too cocky,
For once again the Boro defence had looked alarmingly rocky.

Szilard and Michael Ricketts now come on with time to kill,
Replacing Maccarone and the wee man from Brazil,
With the former on a hat-trick he must have felt frustration,
But he left, along with Juno, to a long, standing ovation.

Schwarzer saved incredibly: it simply had to be admired,
The big man’s form, throughout the game, has been truly inspired,
Once again we’d slept in as a free kick was quickly taken,
Though big Mark came to the rescue, we were very nearly shaken.

Birmingham never gave up for, to them, that would be alien,
But they were constantly thwarted by the Boro’s big Australian,
Then, as the final moments ticked away, Nemeth chased a long-lost cause,
Putting the Boro 5-3 up and fans making for the doors.

Matthew Upson, on his knees, committed the most amazing blunder,
And Nemeth didn’t hesitate, to tear the Blues asunder,
Upson tried to head it back but he didn’t have a prayer,
The ultimate price was duly paid, with Birmingham in despair.

There are many folk, including me, who think players are overpaid,
But Schwarzer earned his corn today as a one-man barricade,
He left the field to huge applause: fans stood in appreciation,
And even visiting supporters joined in the wonderful acclamation.