MIDDLESBROUGH would do well to remember that two of Stockport County's finest victories in the League Cup came away from home at Blackburn and Southampton. But the Northeast club look to have booked their passage to the final at Wembley after taking a decisive advantage at Edgeley Park last night.

Even without their Brazilian, Juninho, they secured a two goal lead through late second half strikes from Mikkel Beck and Fabrizio Ravanelli.

It was very wet under foot but thanks to plastic covering, the surface was playable. Unfortunately the rain came sweeping down again soon after the start.

Three players were booked early on in the match. Lee Todd, who is serving a two match suspension but could play in this game because of a technicality, had his name taken for tripping Ravanelli as he moved dangerously up the right.

The Italian had his taken for protesting too much and possibly for showing an over aggressive attitude to a man only half his size.

Then Phil Stamp's name went into David Elleray's book. Middlesbrough appealed for a penalty when goalkeeper Paul Jones came out to challenge Stamp, who went down. The referee considered that Stamp was kidding and had taken a dive. It looked a good decision on the official's part.

Stamp then employed more legitimate methods with a fiercely struck drive that Jones was glad to beat away.

With Emerson a constant danger in midfield, Middlesbrough looked increasingly confident and Ravanelli should have scored as half time neared. Chris Marsden, injured a little earlier, gave the ball away and the Italian was left in the clear but his chip over Jones curved wide of a post.

The best chance at the other end had fallen to Alun Armstrong but, on the half turn, he could not keep his shot down.

Two more half chances were to fall to Armstrong at the start of the second half. But his first effort went into the side netting his second was saved by the authoritative Mark Schwarzer.

Middlesbrough might have taken the lead when Beck and Stamp got in each other's way and Ravanelli's accurate cross had gone to waste.

But in the 73rd minute, the deadlock was broken. Neil Cox's through ball found Beck in space in the penalty area and he slipped the ball through Jones's legs. Soon afterwards, Ravanelli got a second from close range after the Stockport defence had got itself in a tangle.