West Bromwich 1, Middlesbrough 1: For Middlesbrough, Manchester United await. The Teessiders were stretched virtually to breaking point last night, their porous defence spared by West Bromwich Albion's profligacy in normal time and their own indecisive attacking failing to break down the hosts' 10 men during the extra period. But, for a side who have endured replays in every round to date this year, penalties were to prove a relative formality.
It was the home substitute Sherjill MacDonald's miss, the youngster slicing horribly over the bar, that eventually proved decisive with neither goalkeeper able to make a save in the 12-kick shoot-out. Albion may have other priorities this season, though they came to regret both the succession of chances passed up in normal time and then, three minutes into the added half-hour, the dismissal of Nathan Ellington for a horrible lunge on Stuart Parnaby.
West Brom led by the interval though, in truth, they must have departed frustrated that their advantage stood only at one goal.
The lead was chiselled from arguably their least obvious opportunity, Ellington slipping a pass infield to Darren Carter who was allowed to advance unchecked until, from 20 yards, he scuffed a low shot goalwards which skidded into the corner.
Brad Jones, deputising for the injured Mark Schwarzer in the visitors' goal, was flat-footed and static as the ball skimmed past him. The young Australian was close to moving to the Hawthorns last month only for the deal to fall through at the last; his was an obliging error.
As fortunate as it was, the goal was reward for incessant pressure. Richard Chaplow, Ellington, Zoltan Gera and Paul McShane had all gone close in the early stages, the Republic of Ireland defender forcing Jones to tip over a header from a narrow angle.
Yet the home side were made to pay for their profligacy. Stewart Downing had just skied over from a promising position when Boateng fed Parnaby down the flank. The full-back's cross was collected by Mark Viduka just inside the area, with his shot deflecting off Curtis Davies to dribble beyond Dean Kiely. That was the Australian's ninth goal since the turn of the year.
With Boro shrugged from their slumbers, Yakubu was denied by Kiely, and the goalkeeper did remarkably well to deny the substitute Dong Gook Lee from close-range moments later.
WEST BROM: Kiely, McShane, Clement, Curtis Davies, Robinson, Gera (MacDonald 87), Greening, Chaplow (Koren 71), Carter, Koumas (Kamara 71), Ellington. Subs Not Used: Daniels, Albrechtsen. Sent Off: Ellington (93). Booked: McShane, Carter. Goals: Carter 26.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Davies (Parnaby 56), Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Cattermole (Morrison 46), Boateng, Arca, Downing, Yakubu, Viduka (Lee 86). Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Euell. Goals: Viduka 63. Att: 24,925.
Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
