EMIRATES FA CUP FIFTH ROUND
TUESDAY 1ST MARCH, 2022
(7.55pm)
MIDDLESBROUGH 1(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0(0)
(a.e.t – 0-0 after 90 minutes)

Scorer:-
Coburn, 107

Attendance:- 31,135

Referee:- Darren England
Assistants:- Simon Bennett & Wade Smith
Fourth Official:- Craig Pawson
(NO VAR)

Teams:-
Middlesbrough (3-5-2):- Lumley; Dijksteel, Fry, McNair (sub Peltier, 105); Jones, Crooks, Howson (Capt.) (sub Bamba, 118), Tavernier, Taylor (sub Bola, 96); Watmore (sub Balogun, 75), Sporar (sub Coburn, 96)

Subs not used:- Daniels; Lea Siliki, Boyd-Munce; Olusanya

Booked:- McNair (foul on Davies)

Spurs (3-4-3):- Lloris (Capt.); Romero, Dier, Davies (sub Scarlett, 115); Doherty (sub Emerson Royal, 81), Hojbjerg, Winks, Sessegnon (sub Bergwijn, 81); Kulusevski (sub Reguilon, 105), Kane, Son

Subs not used:- Gollini; Sanchez, Rodon; White, Devine

Booked:- Romero (Unsporting conduct)

Spurs don’t like it “up ‘em”, and “Boro” pounce

We were gridlocked trying to leave Middlesbrough last night and felt a bit like our "consistently inconsistent" Spurs trying to break through the stalwart "Boro" midfield and defence. A good performance by a Spurs player was hard to find last night. The Riverside Stadium was sold out for the first time in five years and most of the crowd went home happy in the thought they had now disposed of two of the Premier League’s top seven clubs, and deservedly so. Let there be no doubt the best team won last night.

Perhaps the referee’s policy of allowing tough tackles and challenges worked in “Boro’s” favour, but Spurs were also allowed to be beneficiaries of that policy. The bottom line is that most of our players in front of the back three did not have the strength or guts to withstand the determination of Chris Wilder’s men.

Wilder apparently ribbed Antonio Conte recently about the Spurs manager stealing Wilder’s tactics of playing wing-backs and overlapping centre-backs. I don’t think we saw much of the “Boro” centre-backs in attack last night, but Wilder did flood their midfield and thus stemmed a lot of Spurs potency, wherever that was. Conte played the same starting eleven as had won 4-0 at Leeds on Saturday. With Kulusevski operating on the right in tandem with Doherty and Sessegnon advancing down the left wing, “Sonny” spent more time than usual in the middle, and it didn’t help as he struggled to make headway in the face of those strong challenges.

As at Burnley, where we lost the other game of this four-match Northern tour, Spurs had their chances, but just could not convert them. Harry Kane had a “goal” disallowed, but as he ran to celebrate towards the Spurs fans, he did not see the offside flag already raised against him. We are faced with yet another trophy-less season, and the grim reality that our last FA Cup success is now 31 years ago.

There was support prompted and shown by the crowd standing for a minute before kick-off to applaud Ukraine. Ukraine needs more than applause at the moment. Spurs took the knee, whilst their opponents stood and applauded this now long-standing show of unity against racism.

Spurs kicked off and played away from their fans who occupied one corner of the ground. Sessegnon won a corner on the left after two minutes, but taken by Son, that came to nought, as did so much of Spurs’ play. Middlesbrough’s first moment of danger was a Tavernier ball from the right into Sporar, but his effort was cleared.

Matt Doherty sent a cross-field pass to the advancing Ben Davies who fed Sessegnon. His cross/shot won a corner. Kane passed to Doherty who sent in a cross intended to reach Sessegnon, but a goal kick resulted. There was a delay after a cash of heads between two “Boro” players and it was a while before we saw any meaningful football. Both Watmore and Sporar had shots on goal from within the area midway through the half, but Spurs managed to clear these.

Kane fed a short ball centrally to Kulusevski who got into the box but was squeezed out of possession, getting no return. I thought there might have been a penalty shout, but there was no VAR to adjudicate here.

Middlesbrough put us under some pressure now but got no return. Kane was offside for a Hojbjerg ball. “Boro” hit a long ball towards Jones, but Hugo was out to collect. Kane could not quite connect with a Kulusevski ball from the left. Spurs had a great chance and we felt Doherty must score as he was in the clear towards the right of goal after Winks, then Kulusevski sent him away. Doherty had the keeper beaten but put his shot beyond the beckoning goal.

Sessegnon had a header blocked after a Hojbjerg cross, and Doherty hit a shot wide after Son’s pass.

Kulusevski was fouled about 28 yards out early in the second half and Kane stepped up but slipped as he took the kick. How the home crowd howled. There was too much slipping around by Spurs players, who once again slipped into the default of passing backwards, unnecessarily putting themselves under pressure.

There was a penalty shout at the other end as Jones went down after receiving from Watmore. Referee Darren England was not interested. After an uncharacteristic failure on the ball by an advanced Romero, “Boro” were on the attack and won a corner. This was floated in by former Leeds and Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson with Crooks putting a free header wide.

Ben Davies made a good run forward and was cynically halted by McNair who was booked. A melee broke out and Romero was booked for his involvement. Spurs had a free kick, and this time Eric Dier took on responsibility. Joe (definitely not a Joanna!) Lumley made a good save, diving to his left. It was after the ensuing corner that Harry Kane had the ball in the net, but to no avail, thanks to a close offside decision.

The atmosphere became hotter and hotter now with both fans urging their teams on. After a string of passes Jones was fouled by Winks just outside the box. Howson’s free kick was only a yard or so wide. After a foul in midfield the referee had “words” with Kulusevski.

Balogun came on for Watmore and was greeted with chants of “Arsenal reject” by the Spurs crowd. He is only on loan and is still on Arsenal’s books. Doherty was replaced by Emerson whilst Bergwijn came on for Sessegnon. Davies shifted to the left as we reverted to a back four. Bergwijn and Kane broke forward and got into the box with Harry feeding Bergwijn, only for “Boro” to clear. Bergwijn probably should have got in a shot here.

Spurs pressed hard now and won a corner taken by Son, met by Dier in front of the near post, but headed wide of that post. Bergwijn and Kane drove forward again , but the keeper won the day and there was an offside anyway. Lloris saved from Jones after a pass by Tavernier and after the corner, Howson, who was unmarked (how?) headed wide.

Now Spurs attacked and Bergwijn fed Son, who crossed for Kulusevski, but that was blocked. There were three minutes of added time and after a cross from the right by Kulusevski, Son headed straight at the keeper.

Spurs kicked off the first half of extra time, and again played away from their fans. In the first minute, Kane and Kulusevski forged a chance but Kulusevski’ s left foot shot passed just wide. Davies had a shot blocked and won a corner soon after that. Middlesbrough made two changes, one of which was 19-year-old Josh Coburn, who has 4 Championship goals to his name in 13 appearances.

Lloris grabbed a cross by Jones and Howson hit a 20-yard shot over the bar. After a poor bit of play at the back by Davies, Isaiah Jones crossed and Lloris made a good close-range save from Tavernier. Son had a chance at the other end after Kulusevski’ s pass, but Lumley managed to grab the ball which nearly passed his side.

Kulusevski was replaced by Reguilon for the second half of extra time, which gave us Bergwijn and Son either side of Kane. However, the signs that had been there for so much of the time came to fruition when Middlesbrough attacked our left flank and had men over too. Crooks put in Coburn who was to the right of goal at a narrow angle, but he beat Lloris with a good low shot to his right, leading to massive home celebrations.

Son had a shot saved from the left side of the area after Hojbjerg had passed forward, and Spurs’ last chance fell to Dier whose header from a corner was saved by Lumley. That Arsenal loanee had an excellent chance in the closing stages with a shot across goal, and Coburn just failed to make contact too.

Another depressing journey home from a cup exit loomed. Our next game is on Monday night against relegation-threatened Everton. That will be interesting. It will be the first of 13 remaining games in our season. Let’s hope it is lucky for us.

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