The Saints are back in town and the weather’s overcast,
Derek Stonehouse passed away: a star of Boro’s past,
Oh, there is one more thing left to say but, please, do keep it quiet,
The Legend, Bernie Slaven, has just gone on a diet.

Kevin Phillips at Southampton took a very long time to settle,
But he’s recently been scoring and is in the very best of fettle,
So, although he can be certainly a thorn in anyone’s side,
He’s never scored a single goal at the wonderful Riverside.

So, Phillips doesn’t rank high in the Boro fans’ affection,
Could it possibly be to do with his Sunderland connection?
As he starts up an attack he is most vociferously booed,
But he’s heard it all before and he certainly won’t brood.

The Boro’s start is scrappy and there’s early signs of cracking,
And on the left side of the area, Southampton are attacking,
A good strike from David Prutton, who seems to have the appetite,
Seemed headed for the corner but missed by inches to the right.

With thirteen minutes played we saw the Boro finally waken,
And great play by Maccarone saw the visitors visibly shaken,
He rounded one man, then a second, and sadly came to grief,
Great strength was shown; true confidence; and loads of self-belief.

Saints are giving the ball away and pressure’s being invited,
A feeling of great hope abounds and the fans become excited,
A great ball in from French Franck Q is frantically deflected,
The corner then was easily cleared and not what we’d expected.

Southampton now are rocking as the Boro up the pressure,
And of the two combatants the Boro look by far the fresher,
Some of the forwards’ interplay is often quite sublime,
So goals will come; I’m totally sure; it’s just a matter of time.

Mendi sought out Macca as the defender made a hash,
And the little Italian striker was upon it like a flash,
He wrapped his foot around it and the ball was beautifully struck,
But he sent it just above the bar and lacked that little bit of luck.

Once again it’s Maccarone, whose confidence is growing,
Passing to Juninho in a move so sweetly flowing,
He shaped up for the volley, then viciously did strike it,
Though the ‘keeper saved it to his right, that was certainly more like it.

Maccarone in full flight is certainly a graceful mover,
He then had very little room in which he could manoeuvre,
He skipped by one defender and then past a second,
Then he chose the totally wrong option, though Szilard Nemeth beckoned.

A wonderful interchange then left the Boro audience drooling,
When, just for just about a minute, things had looked like they were cooling,
Macca on to Nemeth; then came the ultimate thrill,
As the ball was cleverly tucked away, by Boro’s wee man from Brazil.

The defenders simply stood there, bedazzled and bemused,
And now they are, without a doubt, feeling rather bruised,
The ball flew high into the net as ‘t were radio-controlled,
And, though Niemi got a hand to it he simply couldn’t hold.

Ugo concedes a corner, displaying many skills,
And, thinking that he could have cleared, he then lambasted Mills,
The incoming ball was cleared, right off the line, by Macca,
He’s certainly done his bit today: he’s really having a cracker.

The pressure from the Boro shows no signs now of abating,
And a ball inside from Mendi, was truly scintillating,
Then all the really hard work was done by Maccarone,
And as Nemeth rifled into the net, the Saints looked on, all stony.

Upon the visitors’ bench right now, the situation’s being debated,
For the confidence of Southampton’s side has completely evaporated,
Then came a chance for Phillips, who showed swift anticipation,
But Schwarzer saved right on the line: so, for the Saints, further deflation.

A gap was left for Danny Mills, who got into the box,
With half-time fast approaching and fans now looking at their clocks,
It was then lashed, so high and wide, by Gaizka Mendieta,
He’ll be awfully disappointed and he should have done much better.

The game has gone so quickly by and, with seconds now remaining,
One thing can certainly be said; it’s been hugely entertaining,
And as the happy Boro fans seek out their various watering holes,
One thing that I can promise you: we’ll certainly see more goals.

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No changes made in either side in this quite terrific game,
With Boro fans, in unison, calling out, “More of the same,”
As Saints appear, their loyal fans remain distinctly muted,
And Boro remain so much on top: that can not be disputed.

Maccarone is on fire and that fire can’t be suppressed,
He gets the ball from Queudrue then goes on to do the rest,
Franck got away from Delap, looking on like a spectator,
As the ball was deservedly tucked away, by the Boro’s own gladiator.

The Saints’ back line is creaking and they’re really on the rack,
And surely now, at three goals down, there’s no way they’ll come back?
Throughout the team and on the bench their faces now look ashen,
As a mighty roar now fills the ground, to acknowledge Macca’s passion.

Juninho finds Maccarone with a wonderful long ball,
And he somehow dances around several men and continues to enthral,
The ball’s returned to Juno, who seeks to put Saints through the mangle,
But he was really never going to score from the very tightest angle.

Saints take off Fernandes and bring on Pahars in his place,
The thinking no doubt being to gain a little breathing space,
A great ball in found Beattie and the Boro failed to clear,
And with Schwarzer rooted to the ground, the header came oh, so near.

A free kick against Prutton now brought howls of Saints’ derision,
For, although Zenden went to ground, it was totally wrong decision,
Mendi’s shot was high: justice was done: no further argument,
As the tackle that brought the wrong award was totally 100%.

Crainey has the chance now to reduce his team’s arrears,
As he puts across a corner, which Danny Mills half-clears,
Schwarzer tries to punch the ball but he well and truly blunders,
And Beattie’s right-foot volley into the Boro net then thunders.

McClaren’s left the dugout but he’s not seeking to admire,
He delivers a verbal lashing, as they seem to lose their fire,
In fact, it could be stated, that alarm bells now are ringing,
Could Saints start a revival as their fans resume their singing?

To lose a three-goal lead right now would be absolutely tragic,
But then a run by Juninho was described as “sheer magic,”
The wee man had the ball returned by Mendieta’s cute back-heel,
And once again we see the Saints quite clearly start to reel.

Juninho placed to the ‘keeper’s left and he struck it low and hard,
Niemi pushed it ‘round the post then we continued to bombard,
It would have been a wonder goal of picture-book dimension,
Had the ‘keeper not thought otherwise and so extend the Boro fans’ tension.

So, the proverbial ‘bit between the teeth,’ is what the Boro now have,
According to Al. Brownlee and the Boro Legend, Slav.,
Szilard and Mendieta could well be suffering from fatigue,
So they’re replaced by fresher legs, to push us higher up the league.

It’s Greening and young Downing who are brought into the ‘fight,’
To try their best to shore things up and keep it watertight,
Maccarone served up another ball for Juninho on a plate,
But he took a touch too many and he failed to penetrate.

In the very final minute came further shuffling of the pack,
Juninho’s off to huge applause, with Michael Ricketts in attack,
Then came the final whistle, with the Saints in disarray,
Just as Phillips shot a chance well wide, which just sums up his day.

In the end it was quite comfortable, and thoroughly deserved,
And Boro’s recent form at home was, thankfully, preserved,
For every single Boro fan it was a glorious Easter Monday,
And thanks to all the team for a truly Feast o’ Fun Day.