Middlesbrough 0 Cardiff City 2THE HUMILIATION of the Premier League continues and for once the word is not too strong. To suggest Middlesbrough were second best yesterday is to give Gareth Southgate's team too much credit because it suggests they competed. Cardiff will not have had an easier game in the Championship this season.
It took Cardiff all of, oh, five minutes to take Middlesbrough's measure, as an attacking force anyway. Organisation will answer most questions against a team without pace or any real confidence both in midfield and up front, and City's back four were in the comfort zone from the first whistle.
Their midfield quickly established control and Aaron Ramsey had already made a couple of dangerous runs down the left when the Boro defence failed to clear Tony Capaldi's long throw into the penalty area. Stephen McPhail jumped for the ball, which seemed to come off his forearm before falling to Peter Whittingham. A quick drag-back gave the former Aston Villa midfielder just enough room to transfer the ball on to his right foot and curl a sweet shot beyond the flat-footed Mark Schwarzer in the Middlesbrough goal.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink should have made it two within minutes when he was allowed to meet a Capaldi cross without hindrance. His stooping header, however, bounced the wrong side of the post.
Boro were offering nothing and it was no surprise when Cardiff doubled their lead. What was startling was the ease with which Roger Johnson got the wrong side of Emmanuel Pogatetz and dived to head Whittingham's free-kick back across Schwarzer and in at the far post.
The crowd's reaction, one of frustrated resignation as much as anger, told its own story.
Replacing Alfonso Alves with Mido at half-time made no difference - if anything the Egyptian striker looks even heavier than the Brazilian - and Cardiff continued to thoroughly embarrass their supposed betters.
Peter Enckelman was not required to save a shot or a header during the entire second period - indeed, it was not until the 80th minute that Boro managed a second shot of any description.
Miller fires West Brom into semis
ISHMAEL MILLER scored a hat-trick as West Brom emphatically ended Bristol Rovers' FA Cup run at the quarter-final stage with a 5-1 victory at the Memorial Stadium yesterday.
Albion, who have reached the semi-finals for the first time in 26 years, looked firmly in control after goals from James Morrison and Miller before the half-hour mark.
But Danny Coles immediately halved Rovers' deficit to leave the tie delicately poised at the break.
Miller netted a second goal to restore West Brom's two-goal advantage midway through the second half before substitute Kevin Phillips put the tie beyond doubt with his 19th goal of the season soon after.
Miller completed his treble and added some gloss to the scoreline with low finish five minutes from time.
