FA Cup: Boro keep United at bay

Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 0

Middlesbrough managed to keep Manchester United at bay in their FA Cup fourth round clash despite a first-half onslaught from the champions.

Ronnie Wallwork saw a header hacked off the line and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was just inches away from turning a Mikael Silvestre cross past Mark Crossley, but the Teessiders held firm.

Cooper picked up a painful memento of his afternoon’s work on 33 minutes when he challenged for a high ball with Scholes and fell to the ground clutching his head, but he was able to continue after treatment.

For all their dominance, United struggled to create clear-cut openings, although their patience was almost rewarded nine minutes before the break when Butt’s overhit cross forced Crossley to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The pressure on Boro was building all the time, and it took a good covering header from Mustoe to deny Keane a free strike at goal two minutes later after Wallwork had broken swiftly and found Solskjaer down the right.

It took the Teessiders 41 minutes to produce their first shot when Whelan span and fired at goal with his left foot from 25 yards, but he could not force Fabien Barthez into his opening save of the game.