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Match ReportSaturday 19th May 2001
FA PREMIERSHIP
Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 33,057
Referee: Paul Durkin MIDDLESBROUGH2 Job 21, Karembeu 45WEST HAM1 Todorov 31SCHWARZERGAVINVICKERSEHIOGUOKONCOOPERINCEKAREMBEUWINDASSJOBMARINELLISubs: CROSSLEYBAKER STOCKDALE HUDSON 88DEANE 38 HISLOP SONGFOXES.PEARCEMINTOSCHEMMELDAILLYCARRICKCOLEKANOUTETODOROVSubs: BYWATERSOMA BYRNE McCANN 88DEFOE 67 When Glenn Roeder reflects on his one and only match as manager of West Ham United, he'll wonder how his team managed to create so many clear-cut chances and yet convert only one.
Boro's 2-1 victory - only their fourth at the Riverside in the league all season - was established just before half-time but the Hammers could easily have had the game sewn up themselves by then.
Scott Minto, making his first senior appearance for 13 months, and Christian Dailly saw early efforts blocked before Joseph-Desire Job gave Boro a 21st minute lead against the run of play.
Fredi Kanoute fired narrowly wide, before playing a key part in Hammers' equaliser in the 31st minute. He picked out a well-timed run by Joe Cole, who unselfishly set up Svetoslav Todorov for a simple side-footed goal - the Bulgarian's first for the club in the Premiership.
Todorov should have put West Ham ahead just minutes later but blazed high and wide after creating space for his shot.
Kanoute went close with two more shots before Christian Karembeu nipped past Minto and blasted his shot beyond the poorly-positioned Shaka Hislop to restore Boro's lead.
Hammers wastefulness in front of goal continued after the break when three decent chances were squandered in the first nine minutes.
Kanoute looked suspiciously offside when he raced on to Dailly's through-ball but his cross to the far post for Todorov was overhit.
The Bulgarian then saw his long-range strike flash over the bar and should have done much better from a tight angle after Joe Cole - West Ham's best player by far - set him free after some clever close control on the edge of the box.
The visitors had so much possession for two thirds of the game but Boro improved as the second half wore on and should have extended their lead.
Hislop made a fine save from Paul Ince's low drive, while Brian Deane and Job also went close.
Roeder certainly put out a side to attack and his final act as Caretaker Manager was to give Premiership debuts to youngsters Jermain Defoe and Grant McCann.
Defoe, returning from a brilliant season on loan at second division Bournemouth, came off the bench in the 67th minute to a marvellous reception from the travelling die-hards.
Although he was tightly marked by the powerful Ugo Ehiogu and saw little of the ball as Boro pushed forward at the other end, the 18-year-old prospect still made a good impression.
His only half-chance came in the dying minutes when his shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner, although another threatening run also produced a free-kick on the edge of the box which Schemmel wasted.
A disappointed Roeder said afterwards: "We took the game to them and were the better team in the first half. We were the ones who should have been 2-1 up at half-time and, basically, they scored with both their efforts.
"We obviously didn't play as well in the second half, as we chased the game, but overall I'm disappointed that we didn't take something from this."
Roeder dismissed any suggestion that the players had been unsettled by the departure of Harry Redknapp and Frank Lampard, saying: "They were genuinely disappointed for the first two days after Harry and Frank left, but since last Monday there hasn't been a problem, they have all been very professional."
As speculation increased that Manchester United coach Steve McClaren could take over at Upton Park, Roeder added: "I've not been told anything by the chairman and I'm hearing speculation like everybody else.
"Roger and I haven't been given any assurances about our future here and obviously the board can not give us any until they know who the new manager is and whether he would wish to bring in his own backroom team.
"Obviously we would very much like to stay on. Being a manager or a coach is like a packet of cigarettes - they put a government health warning on the side of the packet but we're all still stupid enough to keep coming back for more."
The result means that the Hammers finish the season in 15th place, with Middlesbrough leaping above us on goal difference.
Roll on next season...!
Minute-by-minute:
4 - Marinelli's low cross from the left falls to Windass, who fires over from the edge of the area.
5 - Kanoute finds Schemmel on the right and the Frenchman's deep cross lands at the feet of Minto, whose left-foot toe poke is well blocked by Schwarzer.
8 - After Todorov is fouled by Ehiogu, Carrick's free-kick from 20 yards out is blocked by the Middlesbrough wall.
16 - Cole's clever pass releases Dailly on the left, but the Scottish international can only hit a weak effort that is blocked by a defender.
20 - After Job is fouled by Song, Marinelli's free-kick is headed over by Vickers just six yards out.
21 - GOAL. Job is put clean through on goal by Ince and rounds Hislop before stroking the ball home past Foxe and Pearce on the line. MIddlesbrough 1 West Ham 0.
26 - Schemmel slips a pass into Kanoute, whose shot on the turn flashes just wide of the upright.
27 - Dailly plays a one-two with Cole and skips into the six yard box before Ehiogu toes the ball away. Todorov isn't quick enough to react to the loose ball and Gavin clears for a corner.
30 - Marinelli finds Windass in acres of space on the edge of the area, but the former Bradford striker hooks the ball high over the bar.
31 - GOAL! Cole bursts through on the right, after good work from Song and Kanoute, and shapes to shoot but instead shows excellent awareness to slip the ball through to Todorov, who slots past Schwarzer for his first league goal in a West Ham shirt. Middlesbrough 1 West Ham 1.
36 - Todorov dispossesses Marinelli 30 yards out and skips into the box but fires his shot high over the bar.
37 - Cole and Todorov combine well to set up Kanoute, whose shot from 15 yards out is superbly tipped round the post by Schwarzer.
38 - Substitution for Middlesbrough. Deane replaces Marinelli.
42 - Windass' shot from the edge of the area deflects off both Pearce and Foxe before Song clears the loose ball for a corner.
45 - A good move down the left sees Minto latch on to Cole's pass and pull the ball back for Kanoute, who slams his shot into the side-netting.
Added time: 1 minute.
45 - GOAL. Karembeu runs through on the right and gets away from Foxe before firing a low right-footed shot past the outstretched arm of Hislop. Middlesbrough 2 West Ham 1.
Half-time: Middlesbrough 2 West Ham 1.
Second Half:
48 - Kanoute beats the offside trap to latch on to Dailly's pass and attempts to find Todorov in the box but overhits his cross to the opposite corner flag.
52 - Schemmel heads the ball inside to Todorov, who chests the ball down and volleys a stinging shot just wide.
54 - Cole controls on the edge of the box and slips a pass through to Todorov, who can only poke a weak cross into the arms of Schwarzer with the outside of his right foot.
57 - Okon finds Job on the edge of the box but the Cameroon striker shoots wide of the far post.
63 - Karembeu flicks the ball to Ince, whose shot from 25 yards is deflected over for a corner.
65 - Deane's knock-down is misjudged by Foxe and the ball bounces to Job, whose header is palmed away by Hislop.
67 - Substitution for West Ham. Defoe replaces Todorov.
68 - Pearce loses possession to Deane, who sprints clear on the right and fires a weak shot past the post.
69 - Cooper's pass finds Job, who in turn flicks the ball to Deane. The big striker then sets up Ince on the edge of the area, but Hislop tips his shot around the post.
77 - Cooper whips in a cross from the left that Job diverts just past the post with his head.
81 - Carrick feeds Cole on the edge of the box and the England youngster turns sharply before firing a fierce shot just over the bar.
84 - Kanoute skips down the left and lays a pass inside to Defoe, who advances to the edge of the area before hitting a right-footed shot that is deflected out for a corner.
88 - Substitution for Middlesbrough. Hudson replaces Karembeu.
88 - Substitution for West Ham. McCann replaces Minto.
90 - Schemmel's low cross falls to Kanoute in the box, but the Frenchman completely scuffs his shot and Ehiogu clears.
Added time: 2 minutes.
Full-time: Middlesbrough 2 West Ham 1.