Middlesbrough 2 v 1 Crystal Palace

Carling Cup 4th Round

PRIOR to last night's tie Middlesbrough had not conceded a goal in cup competitions this season but they faced a championship side keen to cause an upset after knocking out Liverpool in the last round.

Palace took half an hour to breach their defence but the Eagles could not hold on and two second half goals in quick succession knocked them out of the Carling Cup at the fourth round stage.

Surprisingly both managers chose to name reasonably strong sides with Iain Dowie pairing Andy Johnson and Jon Macken in a potent-looking strike force while the hosts were led by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka.

In the seventh minute Viduka beat his Australian team mate Tony Popovic but was foiled by the quick thinking of Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

At the other end Palace's first opening of the half was created by Johnson for his strike partner Macken but his low shot was pushed wide by Mark Schwarzer.

On his first start since injuring his knee during the game at Reading, Johnson was proving a real handful and on the half hour mark he was instrumental in the move which led to the game's opening goal.

His flick released Jobi McAnuff whose inviting cross was turned into his own net by Franck Queudrue.

A fine fingertip save from Speroni on the stroke of half time kept Palace's lead intact but minutes after the break the home side were level when Viduka's 25-yard pile driver almost ripped the net apart.

There was hardly time to draw breath before Boro' took the lead with Szilard Nemeth profiting from Viduka's through ball to score the home side's second goal in as many minutes.

Towards the end Dowie introduced Tommy Black and Dougie Freedman in a bid to take the tie to extra time and Clinton Morrison did have a late chance but shot straight at Schwarzer.

Palace could not get back on level terms as the Eagles succumbed to a defeat against the former Carling Cup winners.

Palace : Speroni; Boyce; Hudson; Popovic; Borrowdale; Andrews; Leigertwood; Watson; McAnuff (Black, 74); Johnson (Morrison, 45); Macken (Freedman, 75).

Subs: Kiraly; Ward.

Att: 10,791.