Boro reach cup semis

Wednesday, 12, Apr 2006 10:31

Middlesbrough have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup after beating Charlton 4-2 at the Riverside.

Boro will now play West Ham for a place in the final after goals from Fabio Rochemback, James Morrison, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka settled this quarter-final replay in the home side's favour.

After the original game yielded few chances, Charlton should have been 2-0 up inside the first five minutes as Shaun Bartlett planted his tame header straight at Mark Schwarzer before Darren Bent did the same with a shot from inside the six-yard box.

Rochemback then made the Charlton front two pay for those misses as he struck a 30-yard free-kick past Thomas Myhre on 11 minutes.

However, the home side were ahead for just two minutes as Bryan Hughes scored his second goal in this season's competition as he volleyed home Bartlett's knock-down.

Morrison then reclaimed the lead for Boro as he reacted quickest to a goal-mouth scramble on 26 minutes to jab the ball home from close range.

The second half became scrappy as Charlton struggled to fashion many chances.

Stewart Downing fired just over the bar from the edge on the area with 19 minutes to go before three goals inside five minutes settled the tie in Middlesbrough's favour.

First on 73 minutes, Boro broke and Morrison laid the ball back to Hasselbaink on the edge of the area, who thumped the ball into the bottom corner.

Charlton immediately pulled a goal back as a wickedly whipped free-kick from the left-hand side caused confusion within the Boro penalty area and Jay Bothroyd looked to get the final touch as the ball rolled into the net.

However, the home side sealed their place in the semi-finals when Viduka's fancy-footwork saw his danced around three defenders before drilling the ball into the net from 10 yards.