Source: Telegraph
Marlon King keeps Middlesbrough in touch
Having been reduced to 10 men following the 75th-minute dismissal of Matthew Bates for a second yellow card — for diving under a Richard Hughes 'challenge' — Gareth Southgate's team ought to have been grateful merely for Marlon King's equaliser, which came three minutes into stoppage time. [LNB]One point is not to be sniffed at in a tight relegation battle, but it could have been so much better had Alves, Southgate's £12 million signing, beaten David James moments after King's equaliser. Yet after beating the Portsmouth offside trap, the Brazilian scuffed his shot into the England goalkeeper's body. [LNB] Related ArticlesSouthgate slams Boro fans[LNB]Telegraph player rater[LNB]Portsmouth face harsh realities of life at the bottom[LNB]Bolton stand together to beat Middlesbrough[LNB]Gloucester slip up in mudbath[LNB]Premier League Round-up: Bolton beat Spurs, Arsenal are held by West Ham[LNB]Portsmouth manager Paul Hart said: 'We're disappointed not to get the victory after leading for so long, but Middlesbrough isn't an easy place to come to, especially at this stage of the season.'[LNB]The visitors began the day just one place above Boro in the table and it was clearly a pivotal fixture for both sides, but it was evident from the early stages that the home side were frozen by stage fright. [LNB]Considering their control, it was no surprise when Pompey were rewarded for their dominance on 29 minutes. Jermaine Pennant's quick corner to Glen Johnson caught the Boro defenders napping. The full-back had time to control the ball before laying it back to Crouch and the former Liverpool forward somehow managed to guide his right-foot volley through a pack of defenders to put Pompey ahead. [LNB]Boro, booed off at half-time, rallied in the second half, and James was the busier goalkeeper, but he was not beaten until King pounced on his save from Tony McMahon Point earned. [LNB]But it was two points lost seconds later thanks to Alves. Southgate said: 'We might have pinched it and that would have been dreamland for us. It was a fantastic pass for Afonso, but David James made a great save and he had a fantastic game.'[LNB]
