Manchester City 3 Middlesbrough 1
BORO were soundly beaten on the road again this afternoon, writes GORDON COX from Eastlands.
Tom Craddock was given a chance from the start for the first time in a Premier League.
Injuries struck deep as Gareth Southgate lost his only fully fit striker, Dong Gook Lee, with a back problem, leaving Darlington-born Craddock up front on his own.
Joint-top scorer in the Reserve team Ben Hutchinson was named on the bench as he sampled a Premier League dressing room for the first time. Alongside him was Tuncay, who only returned to training yesterday after recovering from a blow on the fibula.
There was a change at the back where David Wheater was dropped to the bench as Chris Riggott returned. Ross Turnbull, who returned from a loan spell with Cardiff on Friday, was named as substitute goalkeeper.
City, unsurprisingly, were unchanged from the side which beat Newcastle here eight days ago, Sven Goran Eriksson even naming the same five substitutes.
The home side were first to press but a 25-yard drive from Martin Petrov was never going to trouble Mark Schwarzer who, celebrated his 34th birthday yesterday by watching England beat Australia in the Rugby World Cup in Marseille.
There was a low-key start to the game in a stadium strangely quiet given the recent run of the home. But they livened up when a Michael Johnson shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner.
It led to City taking the lead with nine minutes played as Marton Petrov swung over a right-wing delivery and Chris Riggott sliced through his own goal from seven yards.
City failed to build on their fortune as Boro dug deep and competed in midfield depriving City of worthwhile possession, although Boro created little themselves with just a misshit George Boateng strike to show for their efforts in the opening 20 minutes.
Midway through the first half Emile Mpenza worked his way into a shooting position but drilled low at Schwarzer, while a couple of minutes later Dietmar Hamann sidefooted just over from 25 yards after Boateng had lost possession with a loose pass.
Boro almost conjured an equaliser just part the half hour mark as Fabio Rochemback swung in a cross from the right, Lee Cattermole headed for goal from 10 yards and Joe Hart was at full-stretch to turn the ball away two-handed.
But it was City who were next on the scoresheet.
With 33 minutes played Boateng slipped near the halfway line and the home side pressed forward. Low passing cut through Boro and when a neat backheel set up Elano, the Brazilian struck a low drive into Schwarzer's right-hand corner from 20 yards.
After another quiet but relatively comfortable spell, City ended the half with a flourish as one touch football took left from the halfway line to winning a corner.
Half-time: Manchester City 2 Middlesbrough 0
Southgate made a change during the break as Tuncay was sent on to replace Boateng.
Tuncay took up a position high and wide to the right, O'Neil dropping into the middle to replace the skipper, whose armband was now worn by Woodgate.
The first chance of the half fell to Boro as the ball was played in from the right but Craddock miss-hit a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
City soon struck back and it took an excellent block from Riggott to prevent a low close-range shot from Stephen Ireland heading for goal.
But Boro looked a different team and a short pass from Tuncay set up Luke Young up in support but his low shot went just wide of Hart's right-hand post shortly before Craddock brought a save from Hart with a low shot on the turn.
Boro continued to look bright as O'Neil and Andrew Taylor combined down the left and a chance was set up for Rochemback, whose 20-yard shot struck Richard Dunn.
With just short of an hour played Southgate made a second change as Hutchinson was sent on for his Premier League debut, replacing Craddock.
But it was City who struck again with 63 minutes played as Woodgate conceded a free-kick next to the D on the edge of Boro's penalty area and Elano cpmprehensively beat Schwarzer with a curling shot into the keeper's top right-hand corner.
It was now City's turn to impose themselves on the game and, alllowed too much room, they created a chance for Elano on the edge of the Boro box. That just cleared the bar but minutes later Schwarzer was called on to make a fine save to deny Ireland.
Boro finished strongly and grabbed a consolation goal when Tuncay crossed low from the right, Hart parried and Ben Hutchinson made it a personal afternoon to remember as he turned in from close range.
In injury-time Boro almost grabbed a second but Hart made a fine save to palm away a fierce drive from O'Neil.
Manchester City: Hart; Corluka, Dunne (Capt), Richards, Garrido, Ireland, Johnson (Ball 60), Hamann, Petrov, Mpenza (Samaras 74), Elano (Geovanni 78). Unused subs: Schmeichel (gk); Onuoha.
Boro: Schwarzer; Young, Woodgate (Capt. from 46), Riggott, Taylor, O'Neil, Boateng (Capt.) (Tuncay 46), Rochemback, Cattermole, Downing, Craddock (Hutchinson 59). Unused subs: Turnbull (gk); Wheater, Shawky
Referee Steve Bennett, Orpington, Kent.
Bookings
Manchester City: Richards, 83, foul; Geovanni, 90, foul.
Boro: Woodgate, 62, foul; Young, 73, foul; O'Neil, 79, foul.
Attendance 40,438
Conditions Cool, still and overcast.
Website Boro Man of the Match: Chris Riggott
