MIDDLESBROUGH 2 CITY 1
FA Cup 3rd Round
4th January 1992
Attendance 21,174
Scorers
City Reid(25)
Middlesbrough Kernaghan(80), Wilkinson(81)
Ref M Reed
City Coton, Brightwell, Pointon, Reid, Curle, Redmond, White, Heath, Quinn, McMahon, Hughes. Subs Megson(45), Sheron(82)
Middlesbrough Pears, Parkinson, Phillips, Kernaghan, Mohan, Mustoe, Slaven, Pollock, Wilkinson, Peake, Ripley – subs Hendrie(65), Payton(65)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
DAVID HOPPS WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 6TH JANUARY 1992
A month older but no wiser, Manchester City succumbed to Middlesbrough’s passion at Ayresome Park with a sigh, just as they had done in the Rumblelows Cup. City had been this way before. The only difference was that the fog had departed revealing an increasingly nebulous performance.
Once again City’s orderly beginnings gave way to creeping negativity as they fail to capitalise on the aerial supremacy of Quinn.
The Irishman is a devilishly difficult opponent. Mark him in front, and defenders are apt to leap in vain for a ball he kills on his chest; mark him behind and the only truth likely to dawn is whether he has washed his neck that morning.
All City’s, attacking instincts centred on the Irishman and their goal midway through the first half was a snapshot of their style: Hughes left-wing cross cleared Kernaghan, Quinn controlled on his chest and Reid was the stormtrooper, six yards out.
City never registered the second goal which was well within their capabilities, White missing four good chances at 20 minute intervals.
They were unsettled by McMahon’s departure after half-time with a recurring hamstring injury, although his prolonged involvement had been in doubt for more unsavoury reasons. Booked for a wild two-footed tackle on Peake, he could count himself fortunate that he had escaped punishment for an equally roughnecked challenge on Wilkinson.
“City tend to sit on a lead and that gave us an opportunity to put them under sustained pressure,” said Middlesbrough’s manager Lennie Lawrence.
Warnings were first sounded when Wilkinson missed what he classed as the easiest chance of his career, shooting wide from two yards after Slaven’s corner had wandered across the area, but events really turned upon Lawrence’s double substitution which thrust Hendrie and Payton into a 4-2-4 formation.
Payton possessed a zest to drive Curle and Redmond to distraction. “Curle’s like Carl Lewis, but the other fella isn’t,” was the victor’s. conclusion.
Kernaghan equalised with a header from Phillip’s excellent near-post corner. A minute later Pollock hooked over the City defence, Payton’s presence caused Curle to head across his own goal, and Wilkinson arrived ahead of Redmond to provide a venomous finish.