• Date: Sat 14 March 2009
  • Venue: The Riverside Stadium
  • Ref: Atkinson, M
  • Attendance: 24,281
1 - 1
Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Crouch (30)

Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth

Team Lineups

Middlesbrough

Brad Jones
Emanuel Pogatetz (Andrew Taylor, 46)
Matthew Bates
David Wheater
Tony McMahon
Robert Huth
Julio Arca (Martins Afonso Alves, 71)
Stewart Downing
Marlon King
Sanli Tuncay
Jeremie Aliadiere (Adam Johnson, A, 58)

Portsmouth

David James
Sol Campbell
Sylvain Distin
Hermann Hreidarsson
Glen Johnson
Niko Kranjcar (Noe Pamarot, 90)
Hayden Mullins
Sean Davis
Jermaine Pennant (Nadir Belhadj, 36)
Peter Crouch
David Nugent (Richard Hughes, 70)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

MIDDLESBROUGH 1-1 PORTSMOUTH: What a finish to a scrappy game. 10-man Boro deserved their late equaliser after piling the pressure on. But Pompey will feel they threw away two points after taking the lead through Crouch.

90

Alves almost wins it for Boro but James makes a vital save.

90
Goal
 

MIDDLESBROUGH 1-1 PORTSMOUTH: Boro have done it in dramatic fashion in added time. It was KING who bundled the ball home from a Downing corner.

90
Substitution
 

Pompey soak up some time as Krancjar is replaced by Pamarot.

90

Downing takes it but James comes out to collect. It couldn't be more tense at the Riverside Stadium, with both clubs desperately in need of the points as we move into 90+ minutes.

89

Late corner to Boro. Can they snatch something here?

89

Late corner to Boro. Can the home side snatch something here?

86

Good save by James. It was Downing who hit a fine shot from the edge of the area but the keeper made a comfortable save.

83

Crouch had a great chance to wrap up the game for Pompey but he dragged his shot wide of the target from 12 yards.

80

Kranjcar finds Davies with a chipped pass but Wheater steps in to clear the danger.

77

Crouch gets into the Boro box but his ball to Davies is chested back to Jones by Wheater.

75
Red Card
 

Bates is off for his second booking. It looked like he dived in the Pompey box.

75

Kranjcar sends in a cross looking for Crouch but Jones collects.

73

Downing is taking the game to Portsmouth on his own sometimes. He beats Hreidarsson this time but over runs the ball.

72
Yellow Card
 

Johnson is booked for a late tackle on Tuncay.

71
Substitution
 

Arca makes way for Alves. Boro desperately need a goal.

69
Substitution
 

Hughes comes on for Nugent as Pompey look to close the game out.

68

Downing drives towards the Pompey goal and lets fly with a 30 yard shot - but James makes a comfortable save.

65

What a chance for Portsmouth and what a mistake by Huth. The Boro defender let the ball bounce over his head only for Crouch to race through on goal. Somehow the Boro man got back to wrestle the ball off the striker.

64
Yellow Card
 

Nugent is booked for a lunge on Huth.

62

Boro are piling the pressure on now.

62

Great save by James. It was Downing who caused confusion in the Pompey box with a low cross that Tuncay headed goalwards, only for the England keeper to make a flying stop.

61
Yellow Card
 

Belhadj is booked for kicking out at Taylor.

60

King gets his volley all wrong and the ball slices wide of the target from 12 yards out.

59
Substitution
 

Aliadiere makes way for Johnson.

58

King hits a shot on the volley that Distin does well to block wide for a corner to Boro.

56

Portsmouth are containing the home team by keeping possession, to the frustration of home supporters.

53

Arca loses his footing on a promising break for Boro. It was Campbell who put pressure on the former Sunderland player and he just lost possession.

51

Kranjcar sends a dipping free kick just over the Boro crossbar.

49
Yellow Card
 

Bates is cautioned for a very late tackle on Kranjcar.

48

Tuncay fires well wide from outside the Pompey box to boos from the home supporters. The Boro fans are getting frustrated with their side. .

46
Substitution
 

Boro have made a change at half time. Taylor has come on for Pogatetz.

Second half
 

We're back under way at The Riverside.

Half time
 

MIDDLESBROUGH 0-1 PORTSMOUTH: Crouch's 30th minute goal gives Pompey the advantage at the break but in truth, there's been little to separate the sides.

45

Good late pressure from Boro. Arca has had two low shots deflected wide for corners. Can Boro force an equaliser just before half time?

43

Great save by Jones. It was Belhadj who found Crouch but the England striker's header was superbly kept out by the Boro keeper.

40

Kranjcar bends a pass with the outside of his foot into the path of Nugent but Wheater is there to hack clear.

37

McMahon blazes a 25 yard shot high over the Portsmouth goal.

35
Substitution
 

Belhadj comes on for Pennant. The former Liverpool man looks to have pulled a hamstring.

35

Nugent tried to loop a header over Jones but got his angles wrong and the ball goes wide.

33

Crouch sets up Kranjcar but his driven shot is deflected wide for a Pompey corner.

31

Arca produces a lovely bit of skill by flicking the ball over Distin's head but his volley is wide of the Pompey goal.

30
Goal
 

MIDDLESBROUGH 0-1 PORTSMOUTH: CROUCH turns to smash the ball home after good work by Johnson.

29

Mullins twists and turns on the edge of the Boro box but his cross is headed wide by Hreidarsson.

27

Downing sends in another dangerous cross but James is quick off his line to claim it.

25

All the other sides in relegation trouble are losing, but can either side take advantage here?

22

Tuncay heads into the side netting from a tight angle. It was a difficult chance.

21

A deflected shot from Tuncay dropped just wide of James' right hand post. Corner to Boro.

19

Portsmouth almost take the lead! It was Pennant who found Nugent at the back-post and the former Preston man exchanged passes with Crouch before sending a shot crashing back off the Boro post.

17

Boro have had the better of the early exchanges but Portsmouth still look a threat on the break.

14

Downing drives a pass across the Pompey goalmouth but Aliadiere can't control it and Hreidarsson comes away with the ball.

12

Vital clearance by Johnson. Tuncay tricked his way into the Pompey box but his pull-back was just cleared by the England defender.

11

Pompey almost snatch the lead against the run of play. Johnson burst down the right and beat Pogatetz but his ball in to Nugent was cleared by Wheater.

9

Distin comes to Portsmouth's rescue again after Downing slid a pass through looking for King. Boro have started brightly.

7

Pogatetz tried his luck from 30 yards out but the ball flew harmlessly over the Pompey goal.

5

Great ball into the Portsmouth penalty area from Downing but Wheater just mistimed his run and the ball spins out for a Pompey goal kick.

4

Pogatetz tried to thread a ball through to Downing but Distin steps in to hack clear on the edge of the Pompey box.

2

Early free kick to Portsmouth. Pennant delivered it to the back post but Johnson couldn't get the right connection and headed out for a goal kick to Boro.

Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game under way

Awaiting Kickoff
 

The teams are out at The Riverside for this crucial relegation six-pointer.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Pennant, Davis, Mullins, Kranjcar, Crouch, Nugent

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Portsmouth have no fresh injury problems so name the same side that narrowly lost 1-0 to Chelsea last time out.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Middlesbrough: Jones, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, Aliadiere, Arca, Bates, Downing, Sanli, King

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate brings Tony McMahon in for the injured Justin Hoyte. Marlon King takes his place in attack, while Afonso Alves is named on the bench.