Saturday, October 29, 2005
Boro 4 Man Utd 1
Pure Joy! I think most fans would have taken a point before kick-off, me included after another hard game midweek, but after a lightening start from Gaizka Mendieta it never looked like anything but all 3.Man Utd's reputation has been seriously tarnished with this result - they are definitely not the force of old with their defense, mostly birthday boy Van Der Saar and Donkey Ferdinand, being humiliated at the Riverside. The Spaniard was man of the match after the first quarter of an hour and stayed that way till his late substitution and a standing ovation. Bringing him in more central was a shrewd tactical decision that paid huge dividends as time after time he sliced through the Utd midfield causing them severe troubles they just couldn't cope with. Any attack that they did have were coped with imperiously by the ever improving Chris Riggott and a solid Matthew Bates, but it was the forward line that drew all the attention - Jimmy Floyd with his first premiership goal to add to recent Euro and Carling cup strikes justified selection in great style and the Yak's composure just grows and grows, first with a very cool penalty, then with a superb cut-back for Boro's fourth! A late header by Ronaldo prevented the clean sheet, but nothing could detract from the fact that this was our day through and through.
Two wins at home - first Arsenal and now Man Utd... Bring on Chelsea. The feeling now has to be that our season is hitting full stride - we need that momentum to continue, and with news that our next rivals in the carling cup will be Crystal Palace at the riverside you have to be confident that we can do it. This is better!
My MOTM: Mendietta by a country mile; Riggott for his brilliant defensive form a good second.
