AFTER the spite of recent days, respite was embraced by Steve McClaren last night, no matter that Middlesbrough were dominated by Coventry City. While his team were fortunate to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup, few managers are dismissed in the aftermath of victory, a tradition that McClaren will cling to.
There was no pitch invasion by a furious spectator, as there had been during the 4-0 Barclays Premiership defeat by Aston Villa last weekend, but fans were in limited supply. Only 14,131 attended the replay, which threatened to herald significant repercussions, although poor attendances and rising apathy are more appropriate symbols of this season.
The second half was particularly lopsided, but Middlesbrough now have an away tie against Preston North End either to await eagerly or to dread. The cheers that greeted the final whistle masked the poverty of their attacking performance; the Coventry chants of “going down, going down” did not.
The claim by Micky Adams that Coventry had “shown enough in the two games to have won” was indisputable — they were particularly impressive, given that Dennis Wise had not been available for either — although McClaren deserves the benefit of context. With a section of supporters agitating for his dismissal, this was a severe examination of his credentials. He passed — just.
“It’s never easy, but I’ve been in the game for a long time now and this is just another part of it,” McClaren said. “In the last few days I’ve had some great advice from many people, but it’s all experience and it’s all a challenge. This is one of those difficult spells you’ve got to come through.”
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Confronted by the devastating pace of Gary McSheffrey, Middlesbrough’s three-man defence did not quite crumble. Provoked by some meaty tackles, they did not retaliate although Adrian Heath, the Coventry coach, had to be separated from Emanuel Pogatetz at the end. Most important, they demonstrated enough fighting spirit to suggest that McClaren retains allies in the dressing-room.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s ninth goal of a piecemeal campaign soothed fractured nerves but hardly banished them; no sooner was renewed confidence flowing through Middlesbrough veins than they lost cohesion. Their one moment of quality came when Yakubu Ayegbeni split the Coventry defence and Hasselbaink wriggled past Marton Fulop before shooting into an open net.
Relief washed over the ground and while there were fleeting suggestions that belief was returning — from a tight angle, Hasselbaink stung Fulop’s palms with a fierce volley — they did not linger. Against a team who are eleventh in the Coca-Cola Championship, Middlesbrough squandered possession of the ball; team-mates glared at each other like strangers.
Middlesbrough gripped to their lead with increasing desperation. A long-range shot from Gaizka Mendieta concluded a rare excursion into enemy territory, but it was a similar effort from Marcus Hall, which flew marginally wide, that brought gasps. There were more when Mark Schwarzer made a despairing save from Stern John and when Massimo Maccarone fluffed a clear chance. The loudest should have come from McClaren.
MIDDLESBROUGH (3-5-2): M Schwarzer — C Riggott, G Southgate, E Pogatetz — S Parnaby, G Mendieta (sub: M Bates, 81min), Doriva, F Rochemback, A Taylor — J F Hasselbaink, Yakubu Ayegbeni (sub: M Maccarone, 71). Substitutes not used: B Jones, M Viduka, A Johnson. Booked: Taylor, Yakubu, Pogatetz.
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COVENTRY CITY (4-4-2): M Fulop — A Whing (sub: A Morrell, 85), A Williams, R Page, M Hall — J Scowcroft (sub: C Jorgensen, 46), D Hutchison, M Doyle, G McSheffrey — D Adebola, S John. Substitutes not used: C Ince, M Heath, R Shaw. Booked: Scowcroft, Hutchison.
Referee: M Atkinson.
REVISED DRAW
FIFTH ROUND
Preston v Middlesbrough
Newcastle v Southampton
Aston Villa v Manchester City
Chelsea v Colchester
Charlton v Brentford
Liverpool v Manchester United
Bolton v West Ham
Stoke v Birmingham