SOCCER/Middlesbrough 1 Sheffield Utd 0 After extra time. 0-0 after 90 mins:SHEFFIELD UNITED goalkeeper Paddy Kenny's FA Cup dream turned into a nightmare as an own goal ruined a heroic display at Middlesbrough.
Kenny repelled everything Boro could throw at him for 113 minutes until he palmed Mido's deflected shot over the line as it came back off the post.
The goalkeeper had earlier made fine saves from Afonso Alves twice, Luke Young, Stewart Downing and Tuncay Sanli, while James Beattie could have won it for the Championship side in the final minute of normal time but shot just wide.
Stewart Dowining shone and Afonso Alves showed off some slick touches but despite being largely outclassed, Sheffield United clung on to force extra time last night.
With Boro's superior approach play tending to founder on the central-defensive rocks known as Chris Morgan and Matthew Killgallon, it turned into a long night by the River Tees. Gareth Southgate gave Alves his eagerly anticipated first start, alongside Mido, but injury and suspension forced Boro's manager to replace his central-defensive pairing of Robert Huth and David Wheater.
Emmaneul Pogatetz duly relocated into central defence, where he was joined by Seb Hines, with Jonathan Grounds at left-back. Hines had an early opportunity to further boost his profile, but he headed an early Downing free kick over Paddy Kenny's bar.
Alves looked in good shape, but he will have been disappointed to miss an inviting headed chance presented by Fabio Rochemback's inswinging corner. At least he was not the only striker feeling his way into the game. Sheffield United's James Beattie would normally have been expected to control and polish off a fine, volleyed cross from Gary Naysmith. In the event the ball caught Beattie on the shin and bounced for Pogatetz to clear.
The home side's brightest moments tended to come from Downing, who exchanged passes with Rochemback before the Brazilian midfielder's insouciant backheel conjured a shooting chance dragged wide by Downing. By then Pogatetz had spurned another good headed chance from a corner and Kenny looked relieved to punch a fierce Alves's 25-yard free kick to safety.
Sheffield's Kevin Blackwell, supervising his third game since succeeding Bryan Robson, had asked his team to prove their Premier League credentials but Beattie and company barely tested Southgate's rookie defenders, let alone Mark Schwarzer, and when Jon Stead connected with Michael Tonge's cross, he shot wastefully wide from 12 yards.
Alves appeared to be steadily acclimatising to the game and looked very classy when he cut inside Naysmith down the right before laying off for Luke Young to shoot weakly, permitting Kenny to clear with a leg.
Mido was lucky to escape unpunished after catching Gary Speed in the face with a forearm as they challenged for a high ball.
Boro may have scored had Alves not directed a low, angled shot straight at Kenny - who saved competently. The Brazilian then looked set to break the deadlock after being released by Mido's flick, but Kilgallon's penalty-area tackle won the ball cleanly.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Young, Hines, Pogatetz, Grounds, Boateng, Arca (O'Neil 77), Rochemback (Johnson 104), Downing, Alves (Sanli 73), Mido. Subs not used: Turnbull, Cattermole. Booked: Hines, Pogatetz, Downing.
SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny, Geary, Morgan, Kilgallon, Naysmith, Stead (Martin 59), Quinn, Speed, Tonge, Beattie, Sharp (Hulse 73), Martin (Shelton 91). Subs not used: Armstrong, Ehiogu. Booked: Naysmith, Morgan, Geary, Quinn.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
