The Lads welcomed our neighbours from down the A19 and squeaked past them with a goal best described as opportunistic and a defensive display best described as resolute. Mind, if Boro's willingness to shoot had matched the amount of possession we granted them it might have been a different story. They seemed determined to pass it around outside our box - they'd probably been told only to shoot if Patto was standing on his head while playing a harmonica. The game was short on real action with only three shots in target, but defensively it was impressive by us. Job done.
Setting the alarm for a home game is bad enough, but that's derby games for you - even if it isn't one for us, it is for them and we needed revenge for last season's home debacle.
Early bacon sandwiches were had as we wondered how Browne managed a decade virtually injury-free at Preston but has been crocked twice in as many months on Wearside, then we had our first real sight of our future route to the ground - the new footbridge. I wonder what they'll call it?
On a miserable, dull dinner time, we lined up:
Patterson
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil (c) Bellingham Rigg
Roberts Mayenda Mundle
..and a bench of Moore, Ballard, Jones, Watson, Isidor, Hjelde, Rusyn, Aleksic, and Ogunsuyi.
A bit of a surprise start for Mepham but, based on his performance for Wales recently, I'm quite happy with his inclusion. A calm and solid defender in a potentially fiery atmosphere - good thinking, Reg. And the atmosphere - despite the sizeable police presence I didn't get it until inside the ground - flags, banners, noise, Wise Men Say, the lot. Falling in love with you indeed.
Boro kicked off north and seemed initially happy to stand on the ball 25 yards from their own goal. A couple of minutes in, we won a free on the left and when it was only half cleared we produced an air shot on the edge of the box and Boro were away. Thankfully we cleared that break but produced another mistake two minutes later to allow them to cross from their right - which was headed onto the top of the bar. A powerful run down the middle by Mayenda won us a corner on our left, but we took it short then hit the cross to long. Mistake three was a foul 20 yards from our goal by Hume that earned him a yellow. When the free was eventually taken it flew harmlessly a couple of yards over the top.
Boro were having the lion's share of the ball, which is our way at the moment, but we were actually giving it away more than them which probably helped the possession stats in the visitors' favour. Another Mundle run against Ayling (should probably be spelled Ailing these days) brought another free that saw Boro get away with more "clever" stuff in their own box that they we're a bit lucky to get away with.
Roberts was up for a run against his previous employers and danced into the box to win a corner. When that was hoofed be away a waist-high challenge on Luke as he met the clearance brought a card for their number 9.
Another Boro corner was headed weakly over the top, then we were quickly up the field for Roberts to cause a bit of mayhem and have his shot blocked. Rigg was on it in a flash, and when the angle for a shot became too narrow, he back heeled it in. Bloody marvellous thinking, young Chris. 1-0 on 24 and big smiles all round.
Boro persisted with their silly goal kick routine that involved passing it a yard to the keeper who then hooded it up the field. Fine by me, it meant two defenders in their box rather than getting involved with play. Mepham took a whack to the head from a marra when they both attacked the ball, then we produced some mad defending to halt a Boro attack. Hume and Cirkin swapped sides and Boro shot over in surprise. Patto was fouled as he punched a corner clear, then in the three added minutes Mundle drove into the corner of the box and was clearly pushed.
No foul, said the ref whose refusal to give their 9 a second yellow added to his catalogue of pro-Teesside decisions.
I'd say we deserved to be ahead despite the bulk of possession being by the visitors - it's goals that count.
No changes for the second half other than our fullbacks reverting to their usual positions. We abandoned our short goal kicks, getting the ball up the field quickly, although it came back and 21 of the players were spending most of the time in our half. Several fouls were committed by Boro, who must have been told to left a few of ours.
Five minutes in, a fabulous 50 harder by Jobe set Roberts away down the right and he cut in to curl one a yard wide. Ooh.
Jobe was running the show at this stage, but yet another foul by Ailing in Mundle was ignored and yet another yellow card foul by their 9 likewise. They made a couple of changes on the hour, but it was a Mundle/Roberts/Jobe move that ended with the latter's shot going just over when a second would have been most welcome. A period of Boro pressure ended with a shot slashed wide, then the ref was very quick to book Rigg when he actually got his foot on the ball. At last, their 9 was off , but subbed not sent.
We burst into life with about 15 to go, and Mayenda was fouls in the D. Up stepped Mundle to whack his free off the keeper's right hand post. Roberts then looked to have been fouled in the box but the ref naturally waved play on and our little fella was replaced by Isidor and receiving a standing ovation. Our players seemed far more confident victory than me, and when the three added minutes were announced we flew into a few tackles, bringing roars from the crowd. Ballard had a couple of minutes in place of Rigg, during which he bonked away a couple of headers. After an unnecessary fourth minute the ref eventually blew, and we screamed our appreciation.
Can't beat a derby win, especially when we don't think it's a derby.
Many of the Match? Roberts was tremendous, Mundle's bundle of unpredictability, Rigg again belied his years - as did Jobe, who gets my vote for his second half. And a credible mention to our defence as a unit.
If you're in the UK, you can watch the goal below.
