Middlesbrough survive Barrow scare

Middlesbrough 2 Barrow 1

Afonso Alves made £12.5m of striking talent tell with two goals as Middlesbrough saw off plucky Blue Square Premier strugglers Barrow despite a grandstand finish at the Riverside Stadium.

Boro appeared to be cruising into the fourth round before Jason Walker rose highest to nod home from Mark Boyd's corner in the 80th minute - and seven minutes of added time frayed the home fans' nerves.

Alves fired the opener in the 23rd minute after Walker had missed a fine chance to put the non-leaguers ahead, and headed home from point-blank range in the 62nd minute to seemingly make the game safe.

But for all their dominance Boro failed to kill off their opponents completely, and Barrow might have had an earlier equaliser when Mike Pearson struck the post after a goalmouth scramble.

But the game was marred by serious-looking injuries to Pearson and Boro frontman Jeremie Aliadiere, both of whom had to leave the field on a stretcher after lengthy treatment.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate had made six changes but kept most of his available stars in the starting line-up so he may have been unsettled by the visitors' bright and confident start.

Roared on by 7,000 travelling supporters - the largest ever number of away fans at the Riverside Stadium - Barrow brought Boro goalkeeper Brad Jones into action in the first minute when he held a Pearson cross.

Boro came close with their first chance in the fourth minute when Stewart Downing breezed past two Barrow defenders before shooting just wide of Alan Martin's right-hand post from 20 yards.

Luke Joyce blocked a low effort from Adam Johnson in the box then Boyd became the first man in referee Mike Dean's notebook for tripping Aliadiere in full flow.

Walker wasted his golden chance to give Barrow a stunning 14th-minute lead when he was played the ball back by Matt Henney and made space to shoot but mis-kicked feebly across goal.

Boro almost made the visitors pay immediately when the returning Didier Digard set up debutant Josh Walker at the other end, but the youngster's low shot was superbly saved by Martin at full stretch.

Martin also blocked a rising effort from Tony McMahon then Pearson got back to boot the ball out for a corner after Johnson had drawn out Walker and crossed towards an open goal.

But Boro took the lead in the 23rd minute when Downing's through-ball split the Barrow defence and Alves - after appearing to hesitate because he thought he may be offside - converted the simplest of chances.

But the home side suffered a blow in the 31st minute when Aliadiere collapsed in agony under the challenge of Steve McNulty and after lengthy treatment the Frenchman was carried off.

Downing blazed another long-range effort just wide and Alves should have had a second when he beat Barrow defender Paul Jones but failed to chip the ball over the advancing Martin.

But just as Boro were threatening to take control the visitors almost took advantage of a mix-up in a crowded home box, with the ball springing out to Pearson whose low shot was deflected onto Jones' left-hand post.

Then came Pearson's horrific-looking injury when he was caught low on the right leg by Boro substitute Marvin Emnes, and needed treatment on the pitch for five minutes before being taken off.

Boro dominated after the restart with a Robert Huth header ruled out for a foul and Alves hitting the post before the Brazilian grabbed his second in the 62nd minute by heading home a Downing left-wing cross.

Emnes and Johnson were both denied by Martin before Barrow narrowed the deficit out of nowhere when Walker headed home from Boyd's deep corner.

Boro were rattled and Barrow came close to equalising three minutes later when Andy Bond's long throw caused havoc in the home box and Boyd came close to stabbing home at the far post.

Downing should have settled things on the counter-attack when he shot across the face of goal while there was also time for Alves to be denied his hat-trick when he struck the base of Martin's right-hand post.