Boro edge past Dons

Nemeth's shot is smothered by Feuer

Middlesbrough 2-0 Wimbledon
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Middlesbrough overcame a spirited Wimbledon side to win their FA Cup third round replay at the Riverside Stadium.

An early strike from Noel Whelan and an own goal by Kenny Cunningham took the Premiership team through - but Wimbledon will be kicking themselves at their failure to produce an upset.

Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough will now play Manchester United - the club he left last summer - in the fourth round of the competition.

But Boro will need a much improved performance if they are to prosper against Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

  Key moments

2 mins: Stamp hits the Dons bar

3 mins: Whelan scores for Boro

46 mins: Crossley saves from Connolly

81 mins: Cunningham scores an own goal

Boro lacked self-belief and seemed unable to keep possession.

Wimbledon passed with an ease that belied their Division One status - Michael Hughes in particular was excellent in the centre of midfield.

But their finishing - particularly that of David Connolly - was poor and that proved costly.

Most disappointing of all for Boro was the attendance - the game was played in front of just 9,687.

Phil Stamp, recalled to the home side for Jonathan Greening, hit the crossbar with a thunderous long-range volley from a wide angle in only the second minute.

However, Boro did take the lead a minute later.

Szilard Nemeth, making his FA Cup debut, slotted a diagonal ball behind the Dons' defence and into Whelan's path.

The off-side flag stayed down - much to Wimbledon's disgust - and Whelan slipped the ball past keeper Ian Feuer from an acute angle.

Bad miss

Whelan should have doubled Boro's lead shortly afterwards but he missed the target from eight yards after an intelligent cut-back from Nemeth.

Marinelli and Holloway battle for the ball

Boro created further first-half chances for Nemeth, Whelan and Robbie Mustoe - but the excellent Feuer made three good saves.

Despite creating several chances, Boro's first-half play lacked shape or purpose and two of their opportunities came after the Dons had been caught in possession.

Terry Burton's team failed to trouble Boro goalkeeper Mark Crossley in the first half, until Connolly forced a good save shortly before the interval with a powerfully driven shot after a flick-on by Neil Shipperley.

Wimbledon almost equalised in the opening minute of the second half.

Shipperley's cross was met by Connolly, but his powerful diving header was superbly saved by Crossley.

A long-range shot by Michael Hughes minutes later narrowly missed Crossley's left-hand post.

Crossley again thwarted the Dons after 60 minutes, after Connolly had been put through down the left.

Connolly's frustrating second half continued and, with time running out, he missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise.

Kevin Cooper played a drilled square ball into the feet of Connolly, but the unmarked striker mis-kicked from eight yards and the ball squirmed wide.

Wimbledon's failure to convert their chances was punished by a second Boro goal after 81 minutes.

Allan Johnston's cross from the left was intercepted by Wimbledon skipper Kenny Cunningham, who diverted the ball into his own net.

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Middlesbrough: Crossley, Festa, Southgate, Queudrue, Stockdale, Stamp (Johnston 69), Mustoe, Ince, Marinelli (Greening 78), Nemeth (Windass 78), Whelan.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Cooper.

Booked: Marinelli.

Wimbledon: Feuer, Cunningham, Holloway, Hawkins, Francis, Ardley, Andersen, Hughes, Cooper (McAnuff 76), Shipperley (Agyemang 70), Connolly.
Subs Not Used: Heald, Jupp, Willmott.

Booked: Holloway, Shipperley, Francis.

Att: 9,687

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).