Source: SKY_Sports
Bosses - Upton Park draw fair
oth West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola and Boro counterpart Gareth Southgate thought their teams' 1-1 FA Cup stalemate at Upton Park was a fair result.[LNB] Stewart Downing put Boro ahead in the 22nd minute before Herita Ilunga scored a late equaliser to send this fifth round tie to a replay at the Riverside.[LNB]Both managers were left to rue missed opportunities after their teams each created plenty of chances.[LNB]Hammers boss Zola said: "We had so many chances that I was afraid we weren't going to score.[LNB]"We didn't deserve to lose and a draw may have been fair. A replay is not great news but we want to go through. It will be tougher but we want to go through."[LNB]Zola admitted his side were awful in the first half.[LNB]"The first 50 minutes was the worst we have played recently," he said. "It was not near our standards. After that we picked up a bit. You cannot afford not to play high levels.[LNB]Good lesson"It's a good lesson for us. Three months ago we would have lost that game so I am pleased because the players showed we did not want to lose."[LNB]But Zola is now sweating on Carlton Cole's X-ray results after the England striker picked up an ankle injury and had to be replaced in the 33rd minute.[LNB]"We don't know how bad it is yet," said Zola. "He is going to have an X-ray in the next 24 hours and hopefully it will be just a twist."[LNB]Zola also lost Luis Boa Morte to a hamstring tear and the winger was jeered off by his own supporters.[LNB]"As soon as he makes a mistake they pick on him and he doesn't deserve that," said Zola, who, on a more positive note, was pleased with the form of goalscorer Ilunga.[LNB]"He has signed a contract for four-and-half years so he will be with us for a long time. I don't think there are many left-backs playing as well he is."[LNB]Southgate pleasedBoro boss Southgate was pleased with his side's display.[LNB]"It was probably a fair result. I was pleased with how we played, the quality was good and I was pleased how we opened them up. We will take more from it than the result itself," said Southgate, who felt his side had created enough chances to win.[LNB]"We got ourselves in enough good situations but that has been the story of the season for us," he said.[LNB]"We are at our best when we pass and play football and that's what we were doing today - the players will take great confidence from that.[LNB]"A lot of our senior players are coming back, you need them to get results in our league and in this competition.[LNB]"It was the best game through this period and the players have the belief that they can turn it around. We know what needs to be done and we believe we can do it."[LNB]
