Robins bob bob bobbing no longer
afternoon before the game. agent Jorge Mendes was in stands watching last night.
There was even more relief in the first 15 minutes as his team effectively put this replay to bed with two excellently taken goals.
Boro goalkeeper Tomas Mejias, a former Real Madrid man playing only his second game of the season, was one of Boro’s stars in the first game at the Riverside but last night the Spaniard’s second-minute blunder was a desperate blow.
Mejias’ weak and unconvincing pass out was picked up by Lo Celso who nipped past Dael Fry and slid the ball into the corner of the net with ease.
It was just the start a nervous Spurs needed. Boro could have levelled when Lukas Nmecha, on loan from Manchester City and
His the making only his second start, turned Japhet Tanganga neatly in the area – but then shot too close to Paulo Gazzaniga, who saved well.
Those chances had to go in for Boro to have any chance, because four minutes later Erik Lamela robbed Jonny Howson, raced into the middle past two defenders and slid the ball past Mejias as he rushed out.
Spurs at this stage were rampant, Lamela on the turn shooting just over, Ryan Sessegnon firing just wide after a great run, then Tanganga kissing a post with a drive.
Boro, 16th in the Championship, did not give up the chase. Howson skipped past two players with some deft footwork but Paddy McNair wastefully belted his pass way over – and then Nmecha headed just wide.
The chances kept coming at the other end though as Lamela set up Lucas Moura, who dragged his shot just wide.
Lewis Wing saw Gazzaniga save his low free-kick asWoodgate’s side kept plugging away, and an edgy Mourinho brought on Son HeungMin to give his side some extra bite.
And suddenly Boro were back in it. Davinson Sanchez could only help the ball into the path of Saville, who went round Tanganga to shoot home.
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga 6; Tanganga 7, Sanchez 6, Vertonghen 7, Sessegnon 7; Dier 6 (Alli 84), Winks 7; Lo Celso 7, Eriksen 8, Lamela 7; Moura 7 (Son 61, 6).
Goals: Lo Celso 2, Lamela 15.
MIDDLESBROUGH (5-3-2): Mejias 5; Spence 6 (Tavernier 74), Howson 7, McNair 6, Fry 6, Johnson 7; Liddle 7 (Saville 57, 6), Clayton 7, Wing 6; Fletcher 6, Nmecha 7. Goal: Saville 82.
WATFORD/TRANMERE WOLVES/UTD HULL CHELSEA SOUTHAMPTON TOTTENHAM QPR SHEFF WED BOURNEMOUTH ARSENAL NORTHAMPTON DERBY BRENTFORD LEICESTER MILLWALL SHEFF UTD READING CARDIFF/CARLISLE WEST HAM WEST BROM BURNLEY NORWICH COVENTRY BIRMINGHAM MAN CITY FULHAM NEWCASTLE OXFORD PORTSMOUTH BARNSLEY SHREWSBURY LIVERPOOL
VVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVAARON PIERRE scored a sensational long-range winner for League One Shrewsbury in the dying minutes to set up a money-spinning home tie with Liverpool in the fourth round.
Championship side Bristol City had their chances in this replay, but showed precisely why they are trying to sign Arsenal’s England Under-21 striker Eddie Nketiah on loan.
The Robins are desperate to beat off competition from Aston Villa, Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest to land the 20-year-old.
Pierre was the home team’s hero when he buried a low left-foot shot from 25 yards in the corner after 89 minutes, to the delight of Shrewsbury boss Sam Ricketts, below. Earlier, Shrewsbury keeper Joe Murphy had to dive to his right in the eighth minute to palm away a piledriver from Josh Brownhill. Bristol City’s Andreas Weimann then had a sight of goal but miscued his effort.
The visitors nearly took the lead in the 22nd minute when Nathan Baker’s header came back off the post.
At the other end, Shrews skipper Ollie Norburn had a shot deflected just wide.
Striker Daniel Udoh also forced City goalkeeper Daniel Bentley into a good save with a left-foot shot.
Bristol City forward Famara Diedhiou then blew a great chance to break the deadlock in the 44th minute when he raced clear and hit his shot over.
Diedhiou failed to hit the target again soon after the restart with a low shot across goal. But Shrewsbury finished strongly to clinch a meeting with Liverpool that could bank the club more than £300,000. SHREWSBURY (3-5-2): Murphy 8; Williams 7, Ebanks-Landell 7, Pierre 9; Love 6, Goss 6 (Cummings 88, 6), Norburn 7, Golbourne 7, Giles 6 (Whalley 69, 6); Laurent 6, Udoh 6 (Lang 69, 7). Goal: Pierre 89. BRISTOL CITY (4-4-2): Bentley 7; Hunt 6, Williams 7, Baker 6 (Moore 39, 7), Rowe 6; Nagy 6, Brownhill 7, Paterson 5 (Palmer 66, 6), Weimann 6; Diedhiou 4, Eliasson 6.