FA Cup Third Round - 5 January 2013

MIDDLESBROUGH V HASTINGS UNITED

Third round day, and although the weather is unseasonably mild the match is pure FA Cup with Championship Middlesbrough hosting Hastings United from the five steps lower Isthmian League. Hastings took Harrogate back to Sussex in round 2 and eventually won on penalties to earn this return to the North East.

Despite the cut price £10 entry the Boro fans have not responded in numbers but the away section is filling up well. It’s not just some fans missing for Middlesbrough as several first teamers are on the injured list. This will put a few youngsters on their bench, explaining why it looked like a couple of ball boys had infiltrated their warm-up routines. Middlesbrough are in traditional red with the white chest bar; Hastings have lost the claret since the last round and so are in light blue shirts and white shorts.

From the kick off Boro take the initiative and in their patient passing style probe at Hastings without any immediate result. After 15 minutes of being restricted to long range shots they do find centre forward Miller in a crowded Hastings penalty area. In manoeuvring to find space to shoot he is tripped by Crelin and a penalty is awarded. Miller grabs the ball but has to wait for a while as Hastings engage the referee in a protracted debate. When he is allowed to take the kick it resembles a weak back pass that O’Brien fields easily.

Hastings’ reprieve is temporary as five minutes later Zemmama, who has already caught the eye in Boro’s midfield, uses space on the edge of the box to curl a precise shot over O’Brien into the far corner of the net. Playing three at the back Boro continue to dominate without adding to the score. Reach works well down the left, once dribbling far into the penalty area before having his close range shot saved; Zemmama tries to repeat his goal but this time gives his attempt too much loft; Miller is put clear through by Parnaby but lacks the pace to capitalise and is left in a heap as two defenders and the keeper snuff him out.

It is only in the final ten minutes of the half that Hastings get close to the Middlesbrough goal. Camara and Goldberg finally get some space from Bailey, Williams and Halliday and win a couple of corners and a free kick. From the latter the ball falls to Crelin but his shot is blocked. Later a cross from Camara creates difficulty and when the ball is deflected goalwards Steele shows agility in palming it to safety.

So at half time it is still 1-0 and not comfortable enough for Boro to sit back on. Hastings are keeping Camara up and Goldberg in support. When their big defenders Ray and Jirbandey come up for corners Boro look a bit underheight.

A minute into the restart it is Middlesbrough who get a corner. It is hit low to the near post where Miller’s attempted back heel flick misses entirely but serves as an effective dummy allowing Halliday to sweep the ball into the roof of the net from a few yards out. A few moments later he has a chance to score again but O’Brien saves with his feet.

Boro are a little more relaxed now and chances come and go. Zemmama has another attempt saved, and young Jordan Jones making his debut from the bench has a good opportunity blocked. But it’s not all one way; Hastings put together a few moves and one culminates in a fine shot from Carey that has Steele at full stretch to tip round the post.

Into the last quarter of the game Zemmama tries his luck again, and fortune favours him as his shot is deflected past a helpless O’Brien for his second and Boro’s third goal. However before the Boro fans can get used to the three goal lead their defence backs off Goldberg, giving him much room thirty yards from goal, and he lashes a fierce shot over Steele and into the net. The thousand Hastings fans greet this defiant gesture with wild cheering and even the Boro fans give grudging applause.

Despite the setback Middlesbrough keep their grip on the game and it is them who, with five minutes to go, finish off the scoring. Ishmael Millar has been soldiering on, given a tough day by the no-nonsense performance of Hastings player-manager centre-half Sean Ray. He missed a penalty, fluffed his clear run on goal, and inadvertently dummied his backheel to set up Halliday’s goal; but finally he finds himself facing goal with the ball on his favoured left foot. With supreme confidence he strokes it into the corner of the net from the edge of the box (something he failed to do earlier from 12 yards) to make it 4-1.

At the final whistle it is job done for Middlesbrough; a banana skin avoided, no top billing on the ITV highlights programme, and through their first FA Cup tie of the season. For Hastings, the ninth game of their cup run is their last but they leave with heads held high. While their fans set off for a 300 mile return south the team head in the opposite direction for a deserved night out on Newcastle Quayside.