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Barry Hayles denied by bizzare ref
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From being three points and two places off relegation before kick-off Middlesbrough
last night transformed themselves into a team on the verge of mid-table respectability.
Boro jumped five places in one go and are now nine points clear of Derby County
in the second relegation spot. Safety is probably another three wins away but
Steve McClaren and Boro followers should not be deceived: they will not always
have Dermot Gallagher on their side.
Gallagher became the key figure last night, his barely credible 75th-minute
decision stopping the course of the game with the halting drama of a lock-keeper
on a canal.
The score was 1-1 at the time, Steve Marlet having equalised Alen Boksic's
first-half opener 10 minutes after the interval. Marlet's goal confirmed that
Fulham had turned the flow of the match on its head and, with Steed Malbranque
directing the game, the London club felt they were on their way to a victory
that would have lifted them above Tottenham and level with Aston Villa.
When Barry Hayles was put clean through by beating Franck Queudrue to the ball,
Fulham's winner looked on its way. Queudrue clipped Hayles, causing him to stumble,
but Hayles was 16 yards out and got up and was preparing to shoot when Gallagher
blew his whistle.
This could only have been excused if Gallagher was going to show a red or yellow
card to Queudrue, who had already been booked. But Gallagher merely spoke to
the Frenchman, meaning Fulham had in effect been denied twice. The free-kick
was deflected wide by the Boro wall but Gallagher gave a goal-kick. Fulham were
denied thrice.
Two minutes later Boksic broke away at the other end and fed the substitute
Szilard Nemeth, who beat Edwin van der Sar at his near post.
At the end Jean Tigana physically had to restrain some of his players. Fulham's
manager said: "It was a big mistake and it changed the game," he said.
"If the referee had sent off the player, then we could have put another
striker on and tried to win. I don't understand why he blew and then didn't
at least book the player. I'm not able to explain it all to my team."
| Match
Stats |
Boro |
Fulham |
| Goal
attempts |
11 |
10 |
| On
Target |
5 |
5 |
| Hit
woodwork |
1 |
0 |
| Fouls |
13 |
14 |
| Offsides |
6 |
3 |
| Corners |
7 |
10 |
| Yellows |
1 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source:
www.sports.com |
|
Tigana's annoyance was evident and justifiable. McClaren, asked if his reaction
would have been the same, replied: "Well, exactly."
But McClaren was soon off talking excitedly about a match he described as:
"Massive, massive. That's one defeat in 11 now and, while we may not be
playing the attractive football Fulham are, by God we're scrapping."
Boro's end product has too often been just scrappy - and eight of those 11
games have been at home - but, with Benito Carbone paired with Boksic for the
first time Middlesbrough had a spark about them unseen previously.
Sure enough, the Croatian and the Italian linked up for the opener after 25
minutes. Carbone swivelled in midfield and released Boksic; he appeared offside,
so much so that he half-stopped to look at the linesman. When no flag was raised
he carried on and lobbed Van der Sar coolly.
All of a sudden Middlesbrough found rhythm and reds. The passing was slick
and, with Fulham providing the same, there was entertainment at the Riverside
- not a claim made often this season.
Then Marlet missed a good chance, having rounded Mark Schwarzer. But early
in the second half Malbranque swung in a corner, Alain Goma flicked the ball
on and Marlet rose at the far post to nod in unmarked from three yards.
Boro had gone from composed to jittery. Even after Nemeth's goal, Fulham came
again in waves. But Gallagher's whistle had ruined their night. It may help Boro
survive.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Southgate, Ehiogu, Queudrue, Greening,
Mustoe (Murphy 61), Ince, Carbone (Windass 70), Whelan (Nemeth 70), Boksic.
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Gavin.
Booked: Queudrue.
Goals: Boksic 27, Nemeth 77.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Melville, Goma, Brevett, Legwinski, Davis,
Malbranque, Collins (Saha 80), Marlet, Hayles.
Subs Not Used: Harley, Taylor, Ouaddou, Willock.
Booked: Legwinski(53, foul), Saha(87, foul).
Goals: Marlet 56.
Att: 26,235 Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)