Cardiff City 1 Middlesbrough 0

Mar 7 2010 Sunday Sun

Boro had a half-chance on 39 minutes as after a scramble on the edge of the Cardiff box the ball rolled free for Flood to put a shot dipping over but in the scrum Aliadière had picked up an injury and he limped off to be replaced by Chris Killen.

Boro had a lucky escape on 44 minutes when Burke barged past Arca to cut into the box, skipped over a sliding tackle by Taylor and, as he shaped to shoot, he was sent sprawling by an O’Neil challenge.

The home fans screamed for a penalty, but the ref waved away their protests and showed the City man what looked a harsh yellow card for diving.

Cardiff were quickly on the attack after the restart as Burke got down the right and crossed for Rae, who stooped and headed just wide.

Boro went close on 49 minutes as Taylor whipped in an inviting ball for Lita to send a glancing header just over from six yards out.

Boro were forced into another change on 53 minutes as Rhys Williams came on for injured Flood and went in the middle with Robson switching to the right flank.

Cardiff continued to probe and on 54 minutes Chopra broke into the box but was mugged by three Boro defenders and his stabbed, 15-yard effort flew wide.

Then, almost immediately, a Rae ball sent Chopra surging into the box again but keeper Coyne was off his line quickly to collect.

With the game opening out, both sides traded chances on 57 minutes as Robson drilled in a cross towards Killen but the keeper was out sharply to collect then straight down the other end Blake sent an angled 20-yard drive whistling just over the bar.

Boro had the ball in the net on 61 minutes as Robson curled a free-kick into a crowded box from the right and Lita climbed to knock it on and David Wheater nodded inside the far post.

But the linesman’s flag was up instantly and, after a discussion, the ref booked Lita for deilberate handball and in the furore that followed also showed yellow to Robson for his protest and was forced to warn Gordon Strachan after he reacted furiously.

Fired-up Boro went close again on 67 minutes when Lita turned sharply to drill in a low, six-yard shot from a tight angle that the keeper blocked with his feet at the foot of the post.

Arca and Taylor combined again on 70 minutes to win Boro’s first corner and when it was floated in McManus barged through the crowd to scoop the ball over the bar from close range.

And on 72 minutes Boro threatened again as Robson battled his way into the box but he was muscled off the ball by McNaughton before he could check inside for the shot.

Cardiff broke out on 75 minutes and Burke’s shot was deflected into the side-netting by the outstreched foot of Taylor. Then, when the resulting corner was only half cleared, Burke crossed and Gerrard headed just wide.

Boro almost clawed an equaliser when O’Neil squeezed a ball across the box from the left and Robson cracked in a volley which forced Marshall to make a full-length reflex save.

Then, on 81 minutes, Marshall saved the day again for Cardiff as he reacted superbly to turn over O’Neil’s powerful close-range header.

Two minutes later determination from O’Neil and Robson prised an opening but Lita put his overhead kick looping over.

And as the barnstorming spell continued O’Neil had a dipping 40-yard free-kick tipped over by Marshall before the resulting corner sparked a scramble in which McManus missed the loose ball as it rolled free two yards out.

In the closing spell Boro threw everything forward and there were spells of chaos on the edge of the City box.

But Cardiff could have rubbed salt in the wounds in stoppage time as Burke burst down the right and slotted into the path of substitute Capaldi, who rattled the bar with a dipping 20-yard effort, the rebound from which an unmarked Bothroyd spooned an angled drive wide from eight yards.