Source: Telegraph
Middlesbrough fail to capitalise as sorry West Ham eke out a draw
The curse of Gianfranco Zola returned to haunt Gareth Southgate again when Middlesbrough were seven minutes from confirming their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the fourth year in succession, before a woefully inept West Ham won a replay they did not deserve when Herita Ilunga stole a late equaliser. [LNB]Southgate, then the captain of Aston Villa, was denied his only winners' medal, in the 2000 FA Cup final when Chelsea, inspired by Zola, won 1-0 at Wembley. And though West Ham were inept, while Middlesbrough, inspired by Downing, deserved to be contemplating a guaranteed last-eight place, the visitors left ruing a succession of wasted chances. [LNB]Southgate, whose side has gone 13 Premier League games without a win said: 'The manner of the performance pleased me most, more so than the result. Confidence is the key at this level, and we have had discussions on how to go forward. This performance will help.' [LNB]And a relieved Zola admitted: 'Three months ago we would have lost easily, but the players showed me they didn't want to lose.' [LNB]Before Downing's early goal Adam Johnson came close to taking advantage of a poor clearance by Matthew Upson while another error, by David Di Michele, allowed Didier Digard a run at goal, with Downing squandering the finish. [LNB]West Ham ignored the warning signs and, in the 22nd minute, Gary O'Neil's cross bounced in front of Upson, but the more painful mistake was by James Collins, who missed his attempted clearance, allowing Downing's diving far-post header to give Middlesbrough the advantage. [LNB]West Ham's errors at the back were mirrored by faulty forward play. Jack Collison offered Mark Noble a chance he allowed Brad Jones to save and Collins saw another effort parried by Jones. And then West Ham's afternoon got worse when New England cap Carlton Cole hobbled off with an ankle injury and undergoes a scan today. [LNB]For the second half the officials changed their black shirts for yellow after West Ham had complained that Middlesbrough's blue and black stripes were too alike. [LNB]It did little to inspire West Ham who had to make another change, within four minutes, when Freddie Sears replaced the ineffectual Boa Morte, who left holding his hamstring to a chorus if bones, and could be out for several weeks. [LNB]Middlesbrough had two chances in as many minutes to punish poor West Ham further; Afonso Alves had Johnson free and unmarked on his right but sent the ball horribly off target. And then the Brazilian drove an effort across goal. [LNB]Alves was guilty of another frivolous attempt while, at the other end, Diego Tristan jinxed his way into the Middlesbrough area but, when it mattered, let the ball bobble from his grasp. [LNB]But the miss of the afternoon belong to Di Michele, when in the 74th minute Italian planted Ilunga's pass high and over, from 10 yards. It was painful and embarrassing, and appeared to have ended West Ham's FA Cup aspirations for another year. [LNB]Yet a defence that had held out so well for so long, succumbed to Savio's free-kick in the 83rd minute. Collins missed the ball but it fell for the unmarked Ilunga, who headed his second Cup goal of the season to leave Middlesbrough drained by the injustice of it all. [LNB]Fifth round replays[LNB]Hull v Sheff Utd: 26 Feb, 7.45pmMiddlesbrough v West Ham: 24 Feb, 8pmCoventry v Blackburn: 24 Feb, 7.45pmFulham v Swansea: 24 Feb, 8pm[LNB]
