Middlesbrough are in the fourth round of the FA Cup and, unfortunately for those raised on FA Cup shock and awe, it was as straightforward as that. A goal after 10 minutes from Rudy Gestede, another after 42 minutes from Martin Braithwaite and Boro had justified their odds-on status without drama. Sunderland were the visitors.
The new Middlesbrough manager, Tony Pulis, had said he would name a strong team and he did. Other than Britt Assombalonga it was the same starting XI that faced Aston Villa here last Saturday and Assombalonga’s replacement, Adama Traoré, was as significant to the result as anyone.
Sunderland’s new manager, Chris Coleman, would also like to be able to name a strong starting XI. He is however in no such position and already with 11 injuries in his squad, his top scorer, the loanee Lewis Grabban, returned to his parent club, Bournemouth, on Friday.
That left Coleman handing in a teamsheet with 18 names, of which George Honeyman was the top scorer with four goals. The other 17 had five between them.
Given there were four teenagers on that sheet, plus six more aged 23 or under, it could be argued Sunderland did well to get two efforts on target. Add the facts that the club is up for sale, but unwanted, and bottom of the Championship and Sunderland are in serious peril – in the short- and long-term. “We’re in a dogfight,” Coleman said, “and you don’t take kittens into a dogfight, that’s for sure.”
Asked whether some players were not bursting to get fit, he replied: “Could one or two be doing a bit more to be with us? Yes. My conscience is clear – I’m ready for what’s in front of me. I won’t always come out on top but I never duck it.”
He then added: “We’re stretched.” It is a comment that could refer to the entire club and also to a midfield and defence shredded 10 minutes in by Traoré’s Roadrunner pace.
The sprinting winger is deemed erratic by some but he can be devastating at this level. Stationed on the right, Traoré proved as much with his first foray into the match, a zoom of acceleration from inside his own half that took him past four Sunderland players. Suddenly 30 yards out, the 21 year-old released Gestede, whose slight touch from 18 yards steered the ball past the onrushing Sunderland keeper, Jason Steele.
Coleman’s young men, as he said, did not fold – “There’s a bit of spirit in the boys” – and on 24 minutes a neat passing movement ended with Bryan Oviedo in the Boro area crossing dangerously. Ben Gibson was back to clear.
Any sense of a real contest evaporated three minutes before half-time when Stewart Downing’s corner, whipped in with his left foot from Boro’s right, was fisted by Steele into a melee of players. It ran via a ricochet or two to Braithwaite, who showed calm to slide in a shot from 10 yards.
Three minutes after half-time, Sunderland’s lone, lonesome striker, the 19-year-old Josh Maja, directed a near-post header on to the bar and 20 minutes from time Tyias Browning’s close-range header from an Oviedo corner was somehow pushed away by Darren Randolph. It was a spectacular save, but Middlesbrough were going through the motions. They knew they were going through to the fourth round.
“We were excellent in the first half,” Pulis said. “In the second, we got a bit sloppy. But that’s four wins in five, the lads have got a bit of confidence. I’ve got great respect for the FA Cup, that’s why I put out a strong team.”
