Soccer: Boro mugged by City

"I felt like we were mugged as far as the result is concerned," he said. "But I was delighted with the lads, they played some good stuff.

"We were sucker-punched for their first goal, and I was more concerned at how he got in between our two defenders, rather than whether it was offside or not.

"But I was happy with the overall performance and sometimes it's the performance more than the result that matters, we no longer look like a side that is going to concede a lot of goals

"What really let us down was our final delivery, our crosses into the box.

"They were terrible and didn't give the forwards a chance, in particular our corners and free kicks were horrendous, they really let us down

"I said to them at half-time that if it takes until the 89th minute we have to be patient and keep the pressure up, because I knew they would only score from a breakaway, and unfortunately I was right."

Within the first five minutes both Steve Foster and Tony Carroll had tested City's Kevin Welsby, the former Crewe Alexandra keeper, although neither effort was top draw.

Likewise, Neil Prince shot straight at Boro stopper Danny Hurst.

On 16 minutes Carroll had two efforts within seconds of each other, although neither caused Welsby any real danger.

Both sides were passing well early on, the visitors the more accurate, with strapping centre forward Peter Thomson, influential midfielder Jamie Hughes and tricky winger Neil Prince a constant threat.

On 22 minutes Thomson was presented with a free header eight yards out, but to Boro's relief he directed it straight into Hurst's arms.

Minutes later Hurst had to be quick off his line to cut out a through ball at Thomson's feet.

On 25 minutes it looked like Boro had finally gained the upper hand.

Richard Battersby's 'Beckhamesque' free kick from 25 yards sailed over the City wall and had Welsby beaten, but unfortunately the left-hand post deprived him of a well deserved goal.

In the final minute of the half, Hurst had to be quick off the mark once more, this time smothering the ball at the feet of the on-rushing Prince, the former Torquay United winger.

The visitors stepped up a gear in the second half and as early as the 50th minute made their intentions clear, when Hughes' bobbling low shot struck Hurst's right post.

It was a warning Boro failed to heed, because three minutes later Thomson broke through the middle, splitting the Boro defence, before feeding on-rushing fullback Martin Clark, who gave Hurst no chance with his low angled drive.

There were loud appeals from the Boro players and supporters for offside, but referee Gary Foulkes was having none of it.

Boro pushed hard, and after wasting two further corners Steve Foster blazed over the bar on the turn, after latching onto a Carroll flick-on.

On 62 minutes Glendon put Josh Mitten on for Karl Marginson and the tall striker immediately joined Foster and Carroll up front.

But it was up at the Boro goal that the action continued, with Hurst making a fine reaction save to deny Hughes.

Whealing's ground-hugger then tested Welsby's grip, while Steve Foster had yet another shot on the turn, but again it went straight at the City keeper.

With Boro continually pressing to grab an equaliser, City were reduced to the odd break out, but it was from one of these that they extended their lead.

Boro pressure had been rewarded with two more corners in quick succession, it was from the second of these flag kicks that the ball was pumped out of the City defence to Thomson, just inside his own half.

With the Boro defence back-peddling, he showed a surprising turn of speed for a big man and sprinted between Boro's two middle men, before veering right and unleashing a well struck shot that beat Hurst to double the visitors' lead.

With 10 minutes remaining, Glendon replaced John Foster with his latest signing, Jonathan Tuke from Radcliffe Amateurs.

But Boro simply could not get the final pass right, and in the dying minutes both Mitten and Kelly were booked, more out of frustration than malicious intent.

Boro may well have been beaten, but there was passion and purpose for the whole 90 minutes and on another night it could well have gone their way.

Commitment was evident from the first to the last minute, but the final ball let them down continually, as did set-piece play, apart from Battersby's gem of a free kick.

But Whitefield lad Thomson, once on Bury's books and with league experience in both the UK and Holland, was a constant thorn in Boro's side.

His composure, speed and muscle would have been a handful for any defence on the night.