How could it possibly happen again?!?!?!

After an incredible victory in the quarter finals, Middlesbrough FC were playing Steaua Bucuresti in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup.

The first leg in Romania ended with a 1-0 defeat for the Boro.

With a sell-out at the Riverside the stage was set for another great night of European football. Teesside was rocked as the Romanians scored 2 goals within the first 24 minutes.

Where lesser teams might have crumbled, Boro got back into the match when Mark Viduka played in Massimo Maccarone to angle a drive high into the net.


Into the second half Mark Viduka powered in a header and Chris Riggott scrambled in the third goal of the night.


All that was left was for Massimo Maccarone to head in a Stewart Downing cross to send the boro crowd mental.



Another perk of the evening was that Gavin has taped the whole match on his clever little digital tv USB box so it is preserved for ever on disc.

For some incredible audio check this link.

http://www.100centuryfm.com/Article.asp?spid=&id=208039
Century FM's Alastair Brownlee and his delightful tones.

Proper Bo!

Goals: Dica 16, Goian 24, Maccarone 33, Viduka 64, Riggott 73, Maccarone 89.

Agg: (4-3)

Att: 34,622

Come on boro!

In keeping with the discussion of top notch football teams on these pages, it came to my attention that Middlesbrough FC staged one of the most remarkable comebacks of footballing history in the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup.

After a 2-0 first leg defeat Boro were truly up against it, a plight which wasnt helped when Basle scored midway through the first half. (Aggregate score 0-3) This goal meant Boro had to score 4 because a 3-3 aggregate score would send Basle through on account of their away goal.

A slim glimmer of hope shone through when Mark Viduka equalised later in the first half. (Aggregate score 1-3)



Hope bubbled up when Viduka struck for the second time early in the second half. (Aggregate score 2-3)



Hope was simmering when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink "collected the ball 25 yards out and, with hardly any backlift, powered in an unstoppable shot." (Aggregate score 3-3)



Joy exploded when substitute Massimo Maccarone slid in the winner in the last minute of play. (Aggregate score 4-3)



Proper BO!

All in all a great night of european football and Boro play Steaua Bucuresti in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.

Maccarone completes Mission Impossible - The Times
Middlesbrough heroes step up to stage incredible comeback - The Daily Telegraph
MAC FROM THE DEAD - The Sun
SUB MACCARONE SEALS MIRACLE BORO COMEBACK - Daily Mirror
Maccarone miracle for Boro in UEFA Cup - Daily Mail

Thurs Apr 6 2006
UEFA Cup
Middlesbrough 4 - 1 Basle R

A Eduardo Da Silva 23
M Viduka 33
M Viduka 57
J Hasselbaink 79
M Maccarone 90


Bookings:
C Riggott 24
M Maccarone 90

Bookings:
D Majstorovic 52
D Degen 58
P Zuberbuhler 90


Sent off:
D Majstorovic 73

Hot Off the Press: John clears up sick!

Newsflash! Newsflash!

Picture the scene, Liz is babysitting Alex (she is very good at it and it is one of her particular skills) and he is mostly playful, bobbing along to Bob the Builder.



After his nap he didnt seem particularly perky and not quite himself. We were getting ready to take him home and were stood in the hallway when i turned him round to walk out the door when bam.....



The world is looking for a hero, and dressed in Lucie's welly-boots and a tea-towel face mask John stepped up.



He excellently dealt with the sick and then went to work on the rug and the carpet. I couldnt really tolerate the sicky smell so I was mostly looking up "getting sick out of carpet" recipes on the internet. The top hits were vinegar and ammonia solution. We tried the vinegar but surprisingly couldnt put our hands on any ammonia!

Our first letter

Oops!