Middlesbrough FC

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• Manager:Tony Mowbray

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Downing delight for Southgate

26 Feb 2009 - 07:51:23

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Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate believes his decision to fight for Stewart Downing has been vindicated after his FA Cup replay winning display.

The England winger fired Boro into the quarter-finals after a stunning fifth minute free-kick in Wednesday's 2-0 fifth-round replay success over West Ham United.

Sanli Tuncay's 20th minute second confirmed the Teessiders' passage into the last eight and afterwards Southgate was delighted with the performance.

He also hailed the display of Downing, who he persuaded to stay at the Riverside Stadium in January despite interest from Tottenham.

"That's why we wanted to keep our best players. Goals like that win matches, simple," he said.

"He has got the quality to do that. He has scored two in three games now and seeing himself do something like that proves to himself the quality he has got.

"The goal was top-drawer. (West Ham boss) Gianfranco (Zola) was just saying, you can set your team up for anything, but when somebody does that, it rocks everybody on their heels."

Boro will now face Everton in the quarter-finals and Southgate has admitted his Premier League strugglers will be underdogs.

"We will be rank outsiders for the game, but that's the beauty of the cup so we will relish the challenge," he added.