Hull v Boro

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Middlesbrough will make a late decision on Jonathan Woodgate for the FA Cup tie at Hull City.

Woodgate suffered a bruised knee in the New Year's Day win over Sheffield United and came off in the first half of the 3-1 success.

Gareth Southgate has confirmed it is not a serious injury, but he will not be taking any risks with the on-loan centre-half's fitness.

If Southgate opts to leave Woodgate out of his team, then he has several options to consider as a replacement.

Abel Xavier moved into the centre against The Blades, but Andrew Davies (ankle) and Chris Riggott (hamstring) could be fit to return.

Fellow stoppers Robert Huth, Matthew Bates and Tony McMahon remain sidelined, so Southgate is unlikely to make any other changes at the back.

Further forward Southgate must decide whether to keep the in-form partnership of Mark Viduka and Yakubu Aiyegbeni together, or preserve their fitness for the Premiership relegation battle.

Massimo Maccarone is definitely missing for the trip to The KC Stadium as Boro look for a first away win of the season.

Phil Brown will hope to celebrate his appointment as permanent manager of Hull by springing a cup upset.

The Championship club, though, are likely to be without first-choice keeper Boaz Myhill, who has a groin injury. Matt Duke is his likely replacement.

Damien Delaney and Dean Marney are suspended, but Ian Ashbee is due to start after recovering from a swollen knee.

Nick Barmby comes up against his former club and he showed his current well-being with both goals in Hull's 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday on New Year's Day.

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Hull City:
Myhill, Ricketts, Coles, Turner, Dawson, France, Ashbee, Livermore, McPhee, Parkin, Elliott.
Subs:
Duke, Forster, Duffy, Plummer, Featherstone.

Boro:
Jones, Xavier, Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor, Arca, Boateng, Cattermole, Downing, Yakubu, Viduka.
Subs:
Turnbull, Parnaby, Christie, Euell, Morrison.

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0:1 Mark Viduka (73)

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1:1 Forster (79)

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1-1 Full-time!

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Hull City came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw with Premiership Middlesbrough at The KC Stadium and earn a replay.

The two sides will both go into the hat for the fourth round but it was Boro who should have booked their place in the next stage.

They went ahead through Mark Viduka 17 minutes from time, but Nicky Forster was on hand to level just moments later to seal a share of the spoils.

Middlesbrough were quick to settle into their stride and both Viduka and Julio Arca fired wide early on.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni then passed up two great opportunities to put the Premiership side ahead.

The first chance came on 22 minutes as he was sent clear on the right after some nice build up play, he skipped inside Danny Coles but goalkeeper Boaz Myhill managed to get something on the ball as it went underneath him and he claimed it at the second attempt.

Moments later and a better chance fell for Yakubu. As Stewart Downing broke down the left his cross found the Nigerian unmarked two yards from goal - but the ball hit his thigh and he could not convert.

Jon Parkin and Steve McPhee both had sights of the Boro goal, but their best chance could have come from the penalty spot as Arca's arms were raised in the box as the ball struck him, but much to the annoyance of the home fans Uriah Rennie waved play on.

Boro passed up another chance just before the break as Downing again created the danger, this time for Viduka - but when well placed the Australian found the side netting.

The away side continued to press after the interval and Myhill was called into action almost immediately to tip a long-range Downing free-kick around his post.

The resulting corner then saw a massive goalmouth scramble but neither Viduka or Emanuel Pogatetz could convert.

Hull were looking to catch Boro on the break and Parkin almost broke clean through, but Chris Riggott got back to execute a perfect challenge as the City striker was readying to pull the trigger.

Boro introduced James Morrison to the fray and it was not long before the England youth star help break the deadlock. The winger broke down the middle, the ball fell for Yakubu - he found Viduka and the Australian fired in low past Myhill.

Hull themselves soon made their own change as Forster came on and within minutes he found the back of the net to claim the equaliser.

Andrew Taylor gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box, David Livermore stepped up to swing the ball in and Forster flicked the ball home from just five yards.

Boro pushed forward in the final minutes and should have won the game. Morrison saw a close-range effort well saved by Myhill, before Yakubu missed a glorious chance when Viduka sent him clean through but he dragged his shot wide of the post.

Morrison again forced Myhill into a good block and the resulting corner saw Downing cross for Abel Xavier and his effort was turned onto the post by the Hull number one - who played a huge part in his side claiming a replay.

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Middlesbrough survived a real scare before advancing to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-3 win over Hull.

Boro cruised into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Seb Hines, Mark Viduka and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, but Hull rallied and Andrew Dawson's goal and a penalty from Jon Parkin gave them hope.

Viduka handed Boro some breathing space on 64 minutes, but Dawson netted his second of the game 21 minutes from time as Hull tested the Premiership side to the limit.

Boro produced an impressive second-half showing at Charlton on Saturday and they carried that momentum into the meeting with Hull. Julio Arca came within a whisker of opening the scoring inside five minutes as he drove at the heart of the Hull defence before striking a shot which beat Boaz Myhill but cannoned off the post.

Viduka could and possibly should have opened the scoring on 15 minutes as Myhill was caught in no-man's land but the burly Australian failed to make proper contact with his shot from 25 yards and Damien Delaney was able to retreat and clear.

Boro's midfield enjoyed a lot of joy in the first half, but for all their pressure they failed to truly test Myhill as Stewart Downing fired wide and James Morrison shot weakly at the Tigers keeper.

With the home side's midfield firing blanks, Hines opted to show his more experienced team-mates how to finish as he strode forward from left-back, cut inside and slotted low beyond Myhill to net a goal on his debut.

Boro could have taken the game beyond Hull before the interval, but Viduka twice squandered good openings. He headed over from six yards out, having been picked out by Downing, and shortly afterwards he strode past two defenders but dragged his shot disappointingly off target.

Hull offered a little more by way of attacking endeavour after going behind and Parkin, who headed wide inside the first couple of minutes, at least forced Mark Schwarzer into a save when heading tamely on goal on the stroke of half-time.

Hull came out after the break with a spring in their step, but they were rocked onto their heels by a goal from Viduka on 49 minutes.

The Australian was on hand to slot home from close range after a shot from Morrison had cannoned off the post.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Hull and Yakubu made it three from the spot on 64 minutes, shortly after he had hit the bar with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box.

Hull, to their credit, puffed out their chest and Dawson headed home shortly before the hour to hand them a lifeline.

Boro still appeared to be in cruise control, but Abel Xavier inexplicably conceded a penalty with a needless foul on Stephen McPhee and Parkin made him pay with a confident finish from 12 yards.

Within a minute, though, the pendulum swung back Boro's way as Viduka fired home across Myhill to calm the nerves at The Riverside.

Hull refused to accept defeat and Dawson netted his second goal of the night on 69 minutes with a superb free-kick into the top corner which left Schwarzer grasping at thin air.

Schwarzer was by far the busier of the two keepers in the final 15 minutes and he pulled off excellent saves from Parkin and Dawson, while Lee Cattermole made a fantastic saving tackle in injury-time as Boro stuttered into the fourth round.

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