Middlesbrough v Leicester 24/08/99 7.45

Middlesbrough (0) 0 Leicester (2) 3 FT
                      Heskey 35,83
                     Cottee 38

City Cruise at The Riverside
by Peter Gilbert .

It was turning a bit Autumnal as we parked up down by the Riverside and a sharp wind tugged at our open coats till we closed them from the elements, then of course we felt much better and we strode out in a more positive manner.

I thought that it's  'batten the hatches, button up tight at the back , go forward with a positive step and let's go and get those three points.'

Inside the ground we were treated to the spectacle of a modern ground maybe not unlike what we might get eventually.  We might know something more on November 17th by which time it really will be Autumn, maybe even wintry.   Everyone else is getting a new ground we want one too,  it's not fair.  Boo hoo.

Meanwhile back at the Riverside we act as if we are at home in such opulent surroundings and in the warm up we swagger about with our cups of tea and try to look disarmingly confident for any 'Boro fans who might be looking at us in the hope of   'phasing us.'  We're not easily put down, we're fighters, we're unique we've got team spirit by the bucketful and we're due a win.

So we kick off with an unchanged team, a side which in fact has not quite come up with the results thus far. Robbie Williams' 'Let Me Entertain You' had been playing as the teams were walking out and quite honestly we wouldn't have minded an evening without entertainment as long as we came away with points.

After 2 mins. Keith O'Neill was subbed off without touching the ball and Neil Maddison came on for 'Boro in central midfield.
Sharp tackles and challenges were flying in 'early doors' as the territorial battle got under way.
After 5 mins. Tim Flowers dived at the feet of Mustoe and was stretchered straight off with what looked like a bad knee injury.   Step up Peguy Arphexad,  your time is nigh.  Flowers was optimistically sitting up on the stretcher and he waved at us City fans.
This 'stop start'  scrappy opening made it all the more necessary to establish a pattern of play. Both Lennon and Heskey exhibited frustration.  No flow, all fouls and injuries; whoever could settle first might reap the reward.    Heskey, Cottee, Savage and Lennon played a nice interchange of passes; a corner was won but nothing came of it.
Heskey was booked apparently for 'faking it'.   Guppy was then booked after 20 mins. for I don't know what.   The ref. appeared to be losing control, everyone was wound up through the roof,  although basically speaking nothing was happening.
Two 'Boro players;Vickers and Ziga collided with each other but no City players were booked.
A miss-hit shot fell to Stockdale who's attempt on goal was brilliantly saved by Arphexad.
Festa was having problems with Heskey and Pallister was groaning under the strain of the sprightly Tony Cottee.   A free kick to City was well saved by Schwarzer.   A great run by Heskey, saw him cross the ball to Cottee who couldn't convert the chance.   Maddison, not before time, was booked.   he was playing like a mad-bison.  A 'Boro free kick from Ziga flew just wide.
Emile went down injured again, the crowd moaned,  but he had been fouled by Pallister and unfortunately Heskey's image was not improved.  The resultant free kick from Lennon after 35 mins. was met by Heskey's head and it was a cracker into the back of the net.  That shut up the critics.
Concentrate! concentrate!
Then a couple of minutes later Guppy skinned 'em down the left, his cross was tantalising, the 'Boro defence were attracted to Heskey like moths round a light bulb but all to no avail.   It fell to Cottee who nodded it home with a flying header.   2-0 just like that.
Concentrate!   Concentrate!  Let's get to half time 2-0 up.
Boro rallied and their fans booed Emile - so what - it was music to our ears. They were clearly rattled and our quality players were performing well.   We were building up quite a head of steam with Izzett, Impey and Lennon opening wounds in the 'Boro defence that was beginning to look positively suspect.
4 mins. extra time was announced and immediately Taggart and Maddison clashed heads and the 'Boro player, who was a sub, was subbed.   This will be a first half lasting about an hour as both players lay on the floor for some minutes.  But  'no' ,  4 mins. was held up and that was what was played.   It just doesn't work,  this extra time thing, it's so arbitrary. What we need is a separate time keeper like they have in rugby league games with a hooter sounding when the official time keeper judges it to be so.   A referee can't be an accurate time keeper whilst running around all over the pitch.   Another good thing they do in rugby league is that the trainer can come onto the pitch at any time to give a player treatment without stopping the game at all. That is both safer and sensible. Plenty to chat about at half time.

The 'Boro fans were getting on the backs of their team and Campbell came on for Maddison who was by now in the recovery position. The half time whistle blew with City, through Guppy, once again in the ascendancy.


2-0 up we kicked off the second half.   Heskey was straight at the throat, he sprang the offside trap but his cross was cut out for a corner.   Elliott's shot hit the ref's head, the ball fell to Cottee who's shot won another corner.
'Boro broke away and for the first time the City defence looked troubled and conceded a corner.  'Boro were obviously intent on swarming our defence and they threw bodies into the fray.   City needed to maintain their discipline and 'concentrate concentrate'  and douse the flames.  Arphexad made another good save from Stockdale's deflected shot.
There was still a bit of needle about.   Elliott headed off the line and Arphexad dived into chaos and grabbed the ball at the feet of Ince who couldn't resist kicking him (bit predictable governor!)    We were beginning to look a bit desperate, we'd stopped playing our stuff and we were clearly hanging on.  We reminded ourselves that we've never conceded a goal here. A crumb of comfort indeed.
Heskey beat the offside trap on the break when he cut in but Schwarzer made a good save.  Elliott needed treatment to a bloody wound on his head.   If 'Boro win tonight they could go top of the league but we're still 2-0 up......there's plenty of time to go.
Ince chases the ref. demanding a penalty.   Best of luck ref I can never understand a word Ince says. The 'Boro fans chant 'Cheat cheat'.   Glum boy Robson gets off his bench not smiling as usual.
We need to be calm, and control the ball, take the sting out of the situation. Cottee did look slightly tired with 25 mins. to go.   Ince was leading the charge of 'the headless chickens' and the 'Boro fans were now chanting ' 2-0 to the referee.'
This was more like it. It was still a battle in midfield as players slogged it out on the velvet turf. To be fair the ref. was making mistakes that penalised both sides on occasions.
Momentary respite came via a break away from Impey.
Taggart was lucky to get away with giving the ball away as 'Boro squandered a good chance.
Cottee limped off for treatment, he carried on for a while but had to be replaced by Ian Marshall who's physical presence provided an interesting alternative with 15 mins. to go.
10 mins. to go Elliott in trouble again with his head injury.   Ince gave Izzett an aerial fore-arm smash and then argued about the foul, where did he learn that?
Ziga took his time shooting and missed the bus.

Arphexad gathered the ball and dispatched it to Marshall, who fed Heskey. He cut it back to Lennon who threaded it through to Heskey who smashed it home 3-0.

The 'Boro fans started to leave in droves with 7 mins left to play.
Mustoe was booked for chopping Savage while Elliott was still gushing blood from the nose.
The Leicester fans were going no-where. We were in full voice.

Pallister chopped Lennon on the edge of the box for booking number six of the evening. Guppy's free kick was deflected for a corner.

The beautiful Riverside Stadium was by now more than half empty and were it not for the injury to Tim Flowers we'd be on cloud nine by now.

Lennon began to take a hold of the game, where are yer guv'ner?

The stadium by now was nearly empty as Marshall and Impey were queuing up for shooting practice, it was now easy.   We had emerged from a time 'under the kosh' to completely dominate and demoralise our opponents.

By the time the final whistle blew the 'boro fans had filed out, caught the bus home,kicked the cat, drunk their cocoa, put on their pyjamas and were tucked in bed with a sulk and a hot water bottle 'What's up pet though but?'   'Boo hoo if wayd uv wun wayd uv gon top o't'league.'- not exactly what you'd call supporters.

The team thanked us for our support, Martin O'Neill made a great fuss of Andrew Impey and clenched his fist at us.
As we walked out we glowed with joy, but let's not forget the save that substitute 'keeper Peguy Arphexad made in the 23rd min.   If that had gone in the evening might have unfolded differently.
A truly magnificent performance......well done lads; we're now back on track with 7 points.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Festa, Vickers, Pallister, Ziege, Mustoe, Ince, O'Neill (Maddison (Campbell, 45), 3), Ricard, Deane.

Subs not used: Armstrong, Summerbell, Roberts.

Booked: Maddison, Mustoe, Pallister.

Leicester: Flowers (Arphexad, 9), Sinclair, Elliott, Taggart, Impey, Savage, Lennon, Izzet, Guppy, Heskey, Cottee (Marshall, 75).

Subs not used: Gilchrist, Oakes, Zagorakis.

Booked: Heskey, Guppy, Izzet.

Attendance: 33,126.

Referee: Robert Harris