Match commentary: Boro 2-0 Portsmouth

By Graeme Bailey   Last updated: 3rd May 2008

the riverside middlesbrough

Full time All over here and Boro have won it and so we will see them back in the Premier League next season. Thanks for joining me and I hope you will stay logged on.

90 mins - Playing out time All Boro now as Pompey are already on the bus home - dont think we will see any more goals here.

89 mins - Change Boateng comes off and Lee Cattermole enters the action.

88 mins - Wasted chance Great ball from Young finds Aliadiere clear but his brings it down away from goal and Johnson takes the ball off him and clears.

85 mins - Away interesr Pompey are putting a bit of pressure on here but nothing clear-cut as they have a couple of corners cleared.

Strangest location award Well we have had mails from Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Sweden - but the strangest has just come in from Boro season ticket holder Norman Alborn who joins us from Equatorial Guinea! Hope the coverage is okay for you Norman, looks like your boys are heading for victory.

82 mins - Dive? Poor play from Defoe as he clearly dives ahead of Wheater in the box. Nothing given and Pogatetz lets him know not to do it again.

Boro win! Well you all predicted and again even you Pompey fans are accepting defeat! Although not many predicted Pompey not to score at all. graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

78 mins - Great save Wonderful play by Boro. Rochemback plays a one-two with Tuncay - the Brazilian then plays in Downing who is clear but Ashdown produces a great stop to deny Downing.

75 mins - Quick corner Pompey continue to push and win another corner. They take it quick to Johnson but he fires well over the bar.

74 mins - Treatment Wheater needs some treatment after Hreidarsson barges into him - fair challenge but looked nasty. Pompey have a corner at the same time but Boro manage to defend it without Wheater.

71 mins - Over and out Downing tries his luck from 25-yards but it flys well over the bar,

69 mins - Handbags A bit of nastyness at the corner flag between Downing and Mvuemba but the ref just warns them both - both just lashed out at each other whilst on the floor.

67 mins - Double change Harry Redknapp has seen enough and he brings on both David Nugent and Sean Davis, with Papa Bouba Diop and Baros making way.

64 mins - Just wide More nice work from Kranjcar - who has looked a constant threat - he takes the ball down but he curles it just wide of the Boro goal with Schwarzer looking beaten.

63 mins - Wasteful Boro win free-kick just 20-yards out, Rochemback takes but straight out - poor from the Brazilian.

62 mins - Change Alves is replaced by Jeremie Aliadiere.

All Boro Well it is on the feedbacks! Lee Tha P is fullly behind Southgate and thinks he will guide them into Europe next year. And Fabian Hoch from Germany is also happy Boro are looking safe. Jim Barton thinks Boro could still lose it today!

60 mins - Long range Great effort from Kranjcar. A free-kick 30 yards out after Rochemback brought him down. He launched it and it only just flew over the bar.

57 mins - Behind Pompey havent given this up just yet and Kranjcar comes forward and fires wide, but it took a deflection and so it is a corner. Diarra takes but Schwarzer comes and claims it.

53 mins - GOAL Tuncay scores this time from Downing's corner - another free header and the Turk is there to head home. Nice goal.

53 nins - Pressure Good pressure from Boro as Pompey scramble the ball behind for another corner.

51 mins - Nice play Nice football from Boro, Alves holds the ball up well and he crosses for Rochemback he finds Tuncay - whose shot is deflected over.

49 mins - Close The free-kick came into the box and fell for Hreidarsson but his toe poke is straight at Schwarzer.

48 mins - Yellow Arca brings down Diarra for holding onto his shirt, the Argentine can't complain - but he does!

Come-back Pompey fan Adam Tancock in Poland can see his side coming from behind and winning here, but Hugo Costa, a Boro fan from Portugal is confident Boro will hold on.

46 mins - Early corner Boro on the attack straight away as Distin puts the ball out ahead of Tuncay. Downing takes but Pompey clear.

Kick-off Pompey get the second half underway.

Not impressed Boro fan Stephen Chilvers think Southgate is firmly to blame for Boro's below-par season and wants to see a manager with more experience! Well do you want a new boss Boro fans? graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

Positive thoughts Well lets have some thoughts about your season so far and what you want from next season whilst we have time in the interval. First off is Calvin Lloyd in Abu Dhabi who thinks Alves will lead Boro to 6th next season! Do you agree?

Whilst David Hughes of Pompey is worried about his side and thinks Cardiff could cause an upset at Wembley! graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

Half-time Boro in the lead but it has been quite an even contest here.

45 mins - Nasty foul Diarra is booked for chopping down Rochemback. Chance to curl this into the box for Rochemback and again Riggott is there but this time it is wide.

43 mins - Response NIce response from Pompey with good play from Lassina Diarra as they look to hit back straight away - but Boro stand firm and rebuff their advances.

Reaction So what do we make of that? Can Pompey respond or will Boro go on to win this now? graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

40 mins - GOAL The resulting corner is an out-swinger from Rochemback and Riggott rises to head home - who would have thought the man recalled 24-hours ago would score.

38 mins - Boro response Boro attack down the other end and win their own corner as Hreidarsson tackles Alves. Downing takes but Pompey scramble it behind for another corner.

37 mins - Pompey corner Good play again from Mvuemba - who is looking impressive - he crosses into box and the ball comes for Hreidarsson whose shot is deflected behind off Arca. The corner is worked to Johnson on the edge but his curling shot is well taken by Schwarzer.

Alves goa? Lasse Aberg in Sweden is looking for Alves to score - well one slight chance so far Lasse but he is certainly a man in form.

35 mins - Boro pressure The home side are certainly on top but they are struggling to make the breakthrough against a well organised Pompey defence. No clear-cut chances.

Uefa hope Wow, Steve Morgan - a Pompey season-ticket holder in Saudi Arabia, thinks Portsmouth could win the Uefa Cup, especially as Rangers have reached the final this year. Michael Bone, Terry Bytheway's son (he says hi!), thinks Boro will win with Downing the main man.

29 mins - Just wide Nice effort from Alves. First time we have really seen him as he runs into the box but fires just high and wide. Boro on top now.

28 mins - Home roar Finally we hear from the home crowd as Boro get them going. Downing this time feeds Pogatetz he crosses but Tuncay is just denied by Distin.

26 mins - Great tackle Brilliant defending by Mvuemba to come back and tackle Rochemback as he was about to pull the trigger just 12-yards out.

25 mins - Rare action A Downing header - not very often seen - is just wide after cross from Arca, not a bad effort from the England winger.

Moscow calling Our resident Boro fan in Moscow Peter McDonnell is looking for two Champions League tickets and can offer two bedrooms in exchange in Moscow city centre - but probs wrong game Peter!

22 mins - Spectacular effort Downing tries to volley home on the edge of the box after long ball over the top from Arca. Van Basten-esque if it had gone in.

Quiet again You have all gone quiet again - let me know your opinions on your season and what are your hopes for next year? Mail me on graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

19 mins - Shocker What a terrible miss from Baros. Mvuemba did well again down the right and he picked out Baros just 10-yards out but he sent it way over the bar. Terrible from Baros.

18 mins - Good defending Nice work from Wheater as he is forced to chase back and put a good challenge on Defoe to force him out wide.

17 mins - Decent play Not bad from Boro as they break down the left. Julio Arca feeds Pogatetz, who in-turn feeds Downing but his cross is cleared by Sylvain Distin.

15 mins - Downing action First real taste of action for Stewart Downing as he breaks down the right flank and wins a corner. Downing swings it in and Campbell is forced to clear off the line.

14 mins - Poor pass Nice break from Pompey saw Baros in down the right flank - Jermain Defoe was free in the box but a porr cross from the Czech star as he cleared his team-mate. Poor as it would have been a great chance if he had found him.

Whistle happy Referee Peter Walton has blown for a number of free-kicks so far and he is not really letting it flow. A few niggly tackles but nothing horrendous.

8 mins - Nice run Again Tuncay gets behind the Pompey defence after pass from George Boateng but he can't control the ball and it goes out. Better form Boro.

Prediction Well you all think your side is going to win 2-1. Terry Bytheway, a Boro fan working in South Wales thinks so, as does Ste Wright and Alan Weir. But Pompey fan Joe Loughlin from Gloucestershire can only see his side winning this.

6 mins - Better from Boro Boro counter-attack and Tuncay is clear, but Sol Campbell comes back and tackles - the Turk works the ball back to Afonso Alves and he tests Jamie Ashdown - who gets down well to the ball.

5 mins - So close Pompey almost go ahead. Arnold Mvuemba skins Emanuel Pogatetz, he cuts the ball back for Milan Baros but Wheater blocks. It comes for Glen Johnson on the edge of the box and he fires just wide.

3 mins - Lunge Fabio Rochemback dives in on Niko Kranjcar and gives away free-kick. The Croat swings in and Boro have to scramble it away. Good start from Pompey.

2 mins - Early Possession Pompey are enjoying possession and Julio Arca gives away a free-kick for a foul on Baros but David Wheater rises to head away well.

Kick-off Boro have got us underway here.

Get ready The teams are on there way out - a bit quiet out there, are you all sunning yourselves or what? Lets get some coversation going - anyone who sends in will get there name mentioned on skysports.com - what more incentive do you want? graeme.bailey@bskyb.com

Pompey: Ashdown, Johnson, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Diop, Diarra, Kranjcar, Baros, Defoe. Subs: Begovic, Lauren, Hughes, Davis, Nugent.

Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Riggott, Pogatetz, Boateng, Rochemback, Arca, Downing, Sanli, Alves. Subs: Turnbull, Aliadiere, Cattermole, Johnson, Taylor.

Team news: Chris Riggott has been thrown straight into the Boro side after being recalled from his loan spell at Stoke.

Andrew Taylor made way for Riggott. Goalkeeper Brad Jones and midfielder Lee Cattermole made way for Mark Schwarzer and Fabio Rochemback.

FA Cup finalists Portsmouth made four changes to the side which lost at home to Blackburn last time out as Hermann Hreidarsson, Arnold Mvuemba, Niko Kranjcar and Milan Baros replaced Lauren, Sulley Muntari, John Utaka and Kanu.

Welcome to skysports.com's live coverage of Portsmouth's trip to Middlesbrough. We can we expect today at The Riverside - an easy win for Boro? Will Pompey be up for it with the cup final in mind? Please send me your views. graeme.bailey@bskyb.com