Blood is indeed thicker than water and so I fully respect Leroy’s stance, although I would argue that there is often a huge gulf between the lads who cover football games and the more ‘serious’ news stories or feature articles.
Fortunately the City website managed a few words with Leroy which I managed to reproduce in my piece (below).
So as two of the goal scorers weren’t talking, I turned to the other guy who found the back of the net on Saturday – poor, but honest City central defender Kalifa Cisse. He had an awful afternoon and I thought he was more likely to lamp me than talk to me, but credit to the guy, he fronted up and took the time to have a chat.
Apologies to Boro fans for not giving their side the coverage they deserved and apologies to City fans for giving them further coverage in a game they’d rather forget!
On with the report …
Kalifa Cisse owned up to his part in City’s horror show, but backed his team mates to bounce back – again.
Honest Mali international Cisse, 26, put Leroy Lita’s cross into his own net two minutes before the break, but admitted:
“I know I had a very bad game and it wasn’t a good performance, but we have to keep our heads up and work hard to come back and play better. It’s easy to let your head drop, but in football you have good days like when we won against Cardiff and then on some days it’s totally different. You have to keep going though. We’ve had a bad run before this season and turned things around and we can do it again.
Former Robins hitman Lita didn’t celebrate his part in Cisse’s opener, but was booked for removing his shirt in front of the home fans after he nodded in the second in the 58th minute and he explained:
"I wasn't going to celebrate at all. I love this club and it did so much for me and my career. However, on this occasion I heard something from that corner of the ground that I felt wasn't acceptable. We all have feelings and it does affect you. I apologise to the rest of the fans, the vast majority."
Winger Barry Robson,32, finished a mazy run to score the third from 14 yards in the 77th minute and Lita wrapped up the win with his 6th of the season from the spot after keeper David James saw red for bringing down substitute Cameron Park in the box in the 90th minute.
But England World Cup stopper James said:
“I thought the referee was going to book their guy for diving. It wasn’t a red card because we had players coming back to cover and I’m sure we’ll have a good case to appeal.”
City boss Keith Millen kept his team locked in the dressing room for an hour after the game and then said:
“We have a nice bunch of lads, but it’s time some of them got a bit angry. It was a low point in the season for us and we need to pick ourselves up quickly because the last two performances have not been anywhere good enough.”
Middlesboro manager Tony Mowbray was delighted with the win and said:
“We didn’t play a lot better than in some other games that we have lost this season. When we got the second goal you could see the players start to relax.
Leroy was virtually unplayable and never allowed City’s defence a moment’s peace. He’s showed what a player he can be in this game and set a standard we hope he can do his best to maintain.”
My clipping from this morning copy of The Sun
Song artist: The Libertines
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