FA CUP QUARTER FINALS/Middlesbrough...3 Everton...0: Middlesbrough have never won a major trophy, but if their FA Cup continues to spill over with the same kindness bestowed by Everton at the Riverside yesterday, this could be the year that they drink their fill.
In seven heady minutes, late in the first half, Middlesbrough scored three times, through Noel Whelan, Szilard Nemeth and Paul Ince, to reach the semi-finals for only the second time.
For Walter Smith, the condemnation is growing. Everton's defensive certainty has been their one saving grace in a blighted season, but yesterday even that deserted them. A battle against relegation awaits them. "It will be a grim fight for all of us, and I intend to handle it," said Smith. "Criticism comes with the territory."
Nothing affects a side so over-reliant, as Everton, on defensive stability than a bad goal conceded and the blunder by their goalkeeper, Steve Simonsen, 10 minutes before half-time sent them into such rapid decline that Smith's third quarter-final defeat became inevitable.
Ince's punt forward should have provided a simple header back to his goalkeeper for Alessandro Pistone, but Simonsen, instead of holding his position on the six-yard line, dashed madly towards him. As Pistone's header duly flew past Simonsen, Noel Whelan was able to trot in for the tap-in.
Everton's front two of Tomasz Radzinski and Joe-Max Moore had rarely gained the ball, never mind retained it. Within two minutes, they conceded a second. Whelan ploughed through the middle. The first chance fell to Alen Boksic whose deft chip over Simonsen came back off the bar. The follow-up, from a yard out, belonged to Szilard Nemeth.
They might have led after a quarter-of-an-hour when Ince's inswinging corner had found extra curl on the breeze and Nemeth had almost turned in Gianluca Festa's far-post header.
Smith had left Jesper Blomqvist on the bench, and informed David Ginola he was not needed ("He did not storm out, there was no Gallic flourish and I expect him in training on Tuesday," said Smith).
Paul Gascoigne's quick feet have long been attached to a ponderous body, and his twists and turns found Middlesbrough players eager to harry. It was from one such loss of possession by Gascoigne that 'Boro broke away for a third. Jonathan Greening raced away, Everton's defence back-tracked, and after Boksic dinked the ball past Simonsen, Ince touched it over the line. Ince's double cartwheel behind the goal enraged some Everton supporters and police made several arrests as the half drew to a close.
The sum of Everton's first-half attacking efforts amounted to a 30-yard drive by David Weir. Smith tried to pep things up with Nick Chadwick and Niclas Alexandersson, Schwarzer blocked Alexandersson's shot after the pair combined, and Radzinksi shot straight at the goalkeeper.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Festa, Southgate, Queudrue, Stockdale, Ince, Greening, Mustoe, Boksic (Debeve 73), Nemeth (Marinelli 84), Whelan (Windass 87). Subs Not Used: Crossley, Gavin. Booked: Greening. Goals: Whelan 35, Nemeth 37, Ince 42.
EVERTON: Simonsen, Pistone, Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth, Clarke, Gascoigne, Gemmill (Blomqvist 73), Linderoth (Alexandersson 45), Radzinski, Moore (Chadwick 45). Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Cleland. Booked: Stubbs.
Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).
