Middlesbrough scrape through
Viduka scored Boro's first on a dramatic night at the Riverside
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Tuesday, 13, Feb 2007 11:08
League One Bristol City forced Middlesbrough to penalties in their FA Cup fourth round replay, but Gareth Southgate's side held their nerve to win the shoot-out 5-4 after drawing 2-2 after extra time.
A bustling start by the Robins put their more illustrious opponents on the back foot from the first whistle and any hopes that the Boro faithful had of sweeping aside their visitors back on home turf were soon dispelled.
Midfielder David Noble scored the goal that Bristol City's robust opening deserved when he latched onto a low cross from Alex Russell and rifled a first-time finish past Mark Schwarzer to crown an impressive first 22 minutes.
If Gary Johnson's men were braced for a Premiership backlash it failed to materialise and as the half drew to a close it was Craig Woodman who was working Schwarzer once more with a crisp long-range attempt.
A half-time pep talk finally stirred the Premiership team into life and Yakubu, Mark Viduka and George Boateng all came close before Viduka muscled his way onto the end of a Stewart Downing cross to level on 69 minutes.
More pressure was brought to bear on the City defence as Downing and Adam Johnson both rattled the woodwork within the space of a minute as the away side hung on grimly for extra time.
But having got there it seemed all their effort was about to be undone within just four minutes as a foul on Yakubu from Jamie McCombe allowed the Nigerian a chance from the spot.
But Chris Weale saved his tentative effort with ease to preserve parity for a little longer before Abel Xavier's wayward header from a promising position kept the scores even.
Yakubu had his revenge soon after though, as he sneaked in to slam home the loose ball after Weale could only parry from Johnson, but still City were not finished.
Four minutes from the end McCombe's mis-hit volley squirmed into the corner of the net to send the game to penalties and the Premiership side triumphed, despite another miss from 12 yards by Yakubu, when Johnson netted the winner in sudden death.