On an emotionally charged and passionate day on Teeside, Middlesbrough were held to a one-all draw by Sunderland. Boro dominated much of the game, going ahead through Marcus Forss. They finished the match frustrated however, having conceded a Nazariy Rusyn equaliser late on. Daniel Wales reports from the Riverside Stadium.
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00:00 There was a quiet buzz about the Riverside Stadium on this matchday, an undertone of
00:05 optimism echoing back to days gone by at Ayrson Park. Sunderland were the visitors, and following
00:11 the side's last meeting, Borough had every reason to be confident. Many have questioned
00:16 whether this game is a derby, but the Sunderland fans being marched by a strong police presence
00:23 to the ground indicated that it was. Those in uniform flanked all sides of the Sunderland
00:28 supporters, and despite some Borough fans getting a bit too close for comfort, all was
00:33 kept orderly for now. Some police went on ahead to where more Borough fans were congregating
00:39 in anticipation of their rivals. The police wall prevented any serious incidents, but
00:45 the hostility was there for all to see as both sets of fans faced each other in the
00:49 streets surrounding the stadium. The noise was fuelled with passion and anger, with the
00:54 competitive edge kicking in all around. The last skirmishes died out as fans entered the
01:00 stadium, with one Borough fan confirming to me just before kick-off that a derby was indeed
01:06 the right description.
01:09 Is today a derby to you?
01:11 Yes. Yes. It's a derby. There's disrespect.
01:16 And what are your predictions going in?
01:19 What is it?
01:21 5-0.
01:22 5-0! Michael?
01:23 What is it?
01:24 4-0.
01:25 There you go. 5-0. I'll be happy with 4-0.
01:32 Following the fireworks off the pitch, the display on it then began. Middlesbrough kept
01:37 possession well in the early exchanges of the game, and had the game's first real chance
01:42 nine minutes in. Sam Greenwood's initial effort was blocked, with the ball then falling to
01:47 Finn Azaz, who with all the goal to aim at, put the ball high and wide into the stand.
01:53 A scrappy period followed, but Sunderland did then begin to fashion some chances of
01:58 their own. Luke O'Nian's drive forward from defence gave Jack Clarke an opportunity which
02:04 he put wide. Then, with five minutes until the break, great feet inside the box from
02:09 Clarke created an opening for Abdullah Barr, who managed to put his shot straight at the
02:15 only covering defender.
02:18 After the restart, Middlesbrough turned up the heat, and it was only a matter of time
02:22 until they took the lead. It came from a clever free kick, which eventually came to Marcus
02:27 Force, who struck a volley past Paterson and into the net. Greenwood almost added a second
02:34 minute later, but he put an effort just wide.
02:39 Into the final ten minutes, Borough were looking to see the game out, but they were caught
02:43 napping on the right, allowing Nazari Rutten of Sunderland to fire home past the helpless
02:49 Tom Glover.
02:50 The game ended in a draw, and therefore an unsatisfying afternoon for Middlesbrough,
02:55 who dominated the game in large parts. For Sunderland, their trip back up the A19 will
03:00 be certainly more satisfying.
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