Match Report: Middlesbrough 1 Shrewsbury Town 0 (From The Northern Echo)

Chances missed but Boro survive

12:32pm Monday 9th January 2012 in Middlesbrough FC Match Reports By Richard Mason, Sports Writer/Sub-Editor

A YEAR ago, Middlesbrough were dumped out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle by lower league opposition. And Tony Mowbray could be forgiven for thinking history could have repeated itself at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Mowbray’s side were, at times, outplayed by League Two Shrewsbury, but Marvin Emnes’ first-half goal ensured that Boro go one step further than last year, when they were eliminated by Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium.

Wasteful in front of goal, Boro were grateful that the Shrews were just as profligate, and Mowbray knows his team could easily have been facing a trip to New Meadow in ten days’ time.

“It was far from comfortable, they looked a positive, attack- minded team,” said Mowbray after the game. “We have to give them huge credit.

Right from the off, they looked dangerous.

“Let’s not be too negative, there’s no easy games in football.

The FA Cup is littered with giant-killings over the years, so we should be happy just to have won the game.

“Rhys Williams and Matthew Bates had their hands full and we managed a clean sheet to win the game.

“We could have been talking about a 1-1 draw here. We weren’t as fluid and incisive as we could be, but that’s not taking anything away from their performance.”

Danny Coyne, who replaced Jason Steele in the second half, was called into action on a number of occasions – including a fine save from Marvin Morgan – as the Shrews staged a late onslaught.

That could have been avoided had Boro not spurned so many chances.

Most notably Bart Ogbeche missed a fine chance to wrap it up.

Middlesbrough’s manager, who took West Bromwich Albion to an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in 2007, admitted that his cup dreams could have been ended by his side’s wastefulness.

He said: “We’ve got to be more ruthless when the chances come, we need to stick the ball in the net.

“We’ve said this so many times before and it could well have been a different scenario.

Thankfully it wasn’t, there’s no replay. We can have a decent week’s training before the next game.

“If Bart scores his goal it’s 2-0 and they don’t gamble, and the game runs its course.”

Shrewsbury played their part in an end-to-end battle, and while they rode their luck at times, they could have been in the lead at the interval.

Terry Gornell, Lionel Ainsworth and Marvin Morgan all went close as Shrewsbury utilised the counter-attack to great effect.

But it was winger Ainsworth who squandered the visitors’ best chance of the half after 28 minutes when impressive Morgan found Ainsworth unmarked ten yards out and the midfielder skewed his shot well wide.

The Shrews were punished when their defence failed to deal with Malaury Martin’s searching cross on 40 minutes.

Emnes had time to take a touch before scooping a shot past Chris Neal in the Shrewsbury goal.

Boro enjoyed the lions’ share of possession after the interval, but Mowbray was frustrated by his side’s lack of potency in attack, considering they were playing in a 4-3-3 formation designed to bring goals.

McDonald’s nonchalant backheel was well-saved by Neal on 56 minutes, and Emnes dragged a shot wide on 63 minutes.

Shrewsbury had gone close through Morgan and Matt Richards, but it should have been game over on 72 minutes when Ogbeche darted in on goal. But his tame shot hit the legs of Neal. From the counter-attack, Gornell fired over when well-placed.

Ogbeche drew a fantastic save out of the goalkeeper on 77 minutes when he sidefooted goalwards at point-blank range.

Shortly after replacing Steele, who may miss the next match with a thigh injury, Coyne appeared to wipe out substitute Jim Collins when Richards crossed.

But Shrewsbury’s claims for a penalty were ignored by referee Tony Bates.

Coyne himself said after the game that he believed it was a spot-kick.

Rhys Williams made a couple of game-saving blocks before his goalkeeper pulled off a save with moments to go from Morgan, ensuring that the 917 travelling fans returned to Shropshire disappointed.

While Mowbray was disappointed with the lack of cutting edge, he was pleased to give time to the likes of Kevin Thomson, Richie Smallwood and Malaury Martin, who have all been out of the picture – in Thomson’s case through injury.

Mowbray said: “Those three haven’t played football.

Kevin, when he’s up to speed, will very much be threatening the starting XI week in, week out. He’s a high-quality football player.

“It’s difficult to come into a game like this but he’ll benefit from the 90 minutes.

“You can see the quality from his passing, yet at other times he’ll be searching for his legs.

“But he’s a quality footballer and he’s got a big part to play, particularly considering Nicky Bailey is out for so long.”