Middlesbrough 1 Swansea City 1

Jan 24 2010 Sunday Sun

On 32 minutes, Arca picked up the first booking after a clumsy tackle on Cotterill and from the free-kick, Swansea lined six men up outside the box. They made a regimental rush past Boro’s bemused defence as Fede Bessone delivered with Pintado almost getting a toe on the ball before Coyne dived to save.

From another foul cheaply conceded by Arca soon after, Pintado got a glancing header on Tate’s delivery at the far post but it flashed wide.

Then after a good weaving run in from the right, Leon Britton found Bessone on the edge of the box and although he twisted and turned, he couldn’t sake off David Wheater and Chris Riggott to find space for the shot and the danger cleared.

Boro went close on 40 minutes as Flood sent Tony McMahon down the right and from his cross, Wheater put a looping header onto the roof of the net.

Then on 42 minutes, Lita burst forward onto an O’Neil ball and battled his way into the box before being barged aside by Gary Monk – but while the crowd screamed optimistically for a penalty, unimpressed referee Andy Penn waved play on.

And just before the break Boro almost broke through as Killen brought down a McMahon long ball forward and Flood latched onto the loose ball and burst forward with Lita alongside him – but a poor first touch gave Monk the chance to clear.

Boro, though, were rocked as Swansea drew first blood within two minutes of the restart.

The move started as Wheater twice blocked Allen in a tussle near the left touchline and 20 yards out but as the ball rolled free, the Swansea man reacted quickly to push the ball forward into the box for Pintado to turn inside Riggott and slam an angled 10-yard drive past a rooted Coyne and in.

Two minutes later they almost had another as McMahon fouled Cotterill wide on the right. When he whipped in a free-kick towards Pintado – arriving at the far post – it stared to curl and almost sneaked in.

On 55 minutes they went close again as Pintado sent a looping 15-yard free header over the bar after a Cotterill cross from the right.

Boro almost clawed one back on 57 minutes as a telling ball from Justin Hoyte sent Johnson to the byline on the left and when he cut it back across the face of goal, defender Monk just got there before Lita.

But Boro were level on 58 minutes with a fortuitous effort from Flood, the new boy’s deceptive deep cross from the right sending the Swansea keeper furiously back-pedalling.

And although he got a finger-tip to the ball, he couldn’t stop it sailing into the far top corner.

Flood went close again five minutes later after Lita mis-kicked a Wheater ball and it flew through a defender's legs and landed nicely for the midfielder to lash in a low 25-yard effort, which forced De Vries to get down quickly to save. And after 67 minutes there was a moment of excitement as O’Neil sent Johnson on a jinking run that took him past four defenders and into the box before being crowded out.

Boro threatened again soon after as Flood touched a McMahon cross into the box for Lita to send a snapshot high over from a tight angle.

The home side kept piling on the pressure and threatened on 73 minutes as Flood put a crossfield ball from the right to Johnson arriving unmarked on the left.

When he drilled first time across the face of goal, De Vries had to dive out to collect before it reached Lita steaming in at the far post.

But Boro were living dangerously and twice they had to hoof clear nervously after untidy scrambles in the box.

On 78 minutes, Boro made a double switch, Luke Williams coming on for Lita and Joe Bennett replacing McMahon.

Boro were on the back foot for a spell as Swansea enjoyed a lot of possession and Coyne had to be alert to save long- range efforts from Joe Allen then Cotterill.

But Boro almost got a freak winner on 84 minutes as O’Neil got to a Flood ball and leathered in a powerful shot which cannonned back off defender Ashley Williams to hit the Boro man again and squirt forward and just wide.

They went close again on 88 minutes as Bennett crossed in and when O’Neil’s powerful header in was bundled off the line by a defender, it looped to Killen – but his header flew straight into the arms of keeper De Vries.

And a minute later they went close once more as Bennett’s delightful ball forward was knocked down by Killen it rolled loose for Williams to rifle just wide.