Middlesbrough 0 Bolton Wanderers 1
IT was immensely frustrating afternoon for Boro at the Riverside, where they found Ali Al-Habsi in inspired form and were denied two penalties, writes GORDON COX.
Mark Schwarzer missed the game with a back problem and was replaced by Ross Turnbull, while Andrew Taylor and Tuncay returned to the starting line-up as Jonathan Grounds made way and Gary O'Neil, suspended for this game anyway, was ruled out for the remainder of the season in midweek.
Gary Megson made two changes to the Bolton side which won for the first time in nine games when beating West Ham last week. Kevin Davies missed the game through suspension and El-Hadji Diouf dropped to the bench as in came Tamir Cohen and Grzegorz Rasiak.
Boro set off at a furious pace and almost took the lead with 90 seconds played as David Wheater cleverly volleyed a Stewart Downing right-wing corner and Ali Al-Habsi tipped over in fine style.
Bolton failed to clear the following corner and Julio Arca just cleared the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
Back came Boro and Jeremie Aliadiere peeled away down the right. A low cross found Tuncay who brought another fine save from Al-Habsi.
Again Bolton failed to clear and Taylor was inches over with a drive from the edge of the box.
Aliadiere was the tormentor again as he sped down the right and sent over a low cross. Afonso Alves could have left it for Downing, who was better placed, but instead shot for goal and again Al-Habsi tipped over.
Bolton gradually managed to get a foothold in the game, although Turnbull had little to do other than to come once out of his penalty area to clear.
Tuncay put in good work on the right-hand edge of the Bolton penalty area before Aliadiere again caused problems down the right side.
He fed Arca just up from the left-hand edge of the Bolton box, Luke Young made a fine decoy run in support but the Argentinian went for goal and his shot was deflected for a corner.
To serve as a reminder that chances and possession count for little unless converted, Bolton, in a rare foray into Boro's penalty area, capitalised on loose defending and Matt Taylor brought a fine save from Turnbull with a low cross-drive from an angled 14 yards.
Boro moved along the left with their next break, Downing volleyed a lofted cross to the back post and Wheater headed a foot wide from the edge of the six-yard box.
The home side had the edge taken off their game in the closing 10 minutes of the half, which drifted towards mediocrity as Bolton became compact between defence and midfield, breaking when they got a chance.
But the closest they came was indeed not close at all as Cohen volleyed well over from 12 yards, although deep into injury-time Taylor shot straight at Turnbull, who made a comfortable save.
In the sixth minute of injury-time Cohen and Gary Cahill were forced off after a clash of heads, the former staying off to be replaced by Danny Guthrie.
Half-time: Middlesbrough 0 Bolton Wanderers 0
During the break Boro's U15 side, which won the prestigious Nike Cup two weeks ago, paraded their trophy around the edge of the pitch, receiving rich and well deserved applause.
Bolton started the second half looking the better side. A purposeful run down the left from Jloyd Samuel ended with good recovering work from Aliadiere.
The visitors kept up their pace, doing to Boro what had been done to them at the start of the game. Twice in a minute Turnbull was forced into fine saves.
First it was Ivan Campo who tested him with a low drive from the right-hand edge of the penalty area, then Taylor from the opposite side of play and slightly further out. This led to a corner, which Rasiak headed against the bar.
Boro needed to settle and were denied a clear penalty when a cross from Downing was deflected onto the outstretched hand of Gavin McCann.
Boro had just not got into the game at all in the second half when Bolton pressed again, Guthrie chipped a cross to the back post, Turnbull was beaten and Young headed off the line.
That led to a scramble inside the Boro box, appeals for a penalty turned away and a corner conceded. It was from that, with 60 minutes played that Bolton took the lead.
A right-wing delivery was turned towards goal, Turnbull did well to save, but Gavin McCann was perfectly placed a yard out to tuck in the rebound.
It was turning into an immensely frustrating afternoon for Boro, who were again denied a penalty when the ball appeared to strike the arm of Andy O'Brien just before a well-struck 22-yard drive from Wheater curled into the arms of Al-Habsi.
A 25-yard drive Aliadiere drive was deflected into the arms of the goalkeeper shortly before the Frenchman cut inside to drive low into Al-Habsi's near post. Needless to say, the Omani was well placed.
Bolton's fans urged their team forward and a mistake from Arca allowed a low cross into the penalty area and Wheater thumped clear as the game drifted away from the home side.
Middlesbrough: Turnbull; Young, Wheater, Pogatetz (Capt), Taylor (Rochemback 73), Aliadiere, Boateng, Arca, Downing, Tuncay (Johnson 63), Alves. Unused subs: Steele (gk); Grounds, Shawky.
Bolton Wanderers: Al Habsi; Steinsson, A O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel, Campo, Nolan, McCann, Taylor, Cohen (Guthrie 45+5), Rasiak (Diouf 55). Unused subs: Walker (gk); Stelios, Fojut.
Referee: Alan Wiley, Burntwood, Staffordshire.
Bookings
Middlesbrough: None
Bolton Wanderers: Steinsson, 56, foul; Campo, 77, foul.
Attendance: 25,037
Conditions: Very cold and windy.
Website Boro Man of the Match: David Wheater
