Toffees come unstuck as Boro reach last four

And, after yesterday's 3-0 quarter-final win over Everton, manager Steve McClaren will now be hoping to go one step further than his predecessor Bryan Robson. In 1997, the only other occasion Boro have made it into the last four of the competition, Boro went as far as the final only to be defeated 2-0 by Chelsea.

But five years later there is a growing belief around the Riverside that luck could be on McClaren's side.

Late goals secured victory in previous rounds over Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers.

Boro never needed such last-gasp exploits against Everton - the game had already been wrapped up before half-time.

Noel Whelan's third of the competition got the scoring underway after he made the most of a misunderstanding between Alessandro Pistone and Steve Simonsen. Then Szilard Nemeth and Paul Ince completed the comfortable victory.

The only shame was that a crowd of only 26, 950 - including a 5,000-strong Everton contingent - witnessed Boro's Cup progress.

Those travelling supporters took the opportunity to call for manager Walter Smith to quit from his post after a result which they have become to expect from their heroes.

Everton have still not won an away fixture against Premiership opposition since the opening day win over Charlton Athletic.

And, from the kick-off, they looked like a side struggling in the bottom half of the top-flight.

McClaren was forced to make a few changes to the side which drew 1-1 at Southampton in midweek.

Centre-back Ugo Ehiogu missed the clash through suspension, while loanee Benito Carbone was cup-tied and Luke Wilkshire, who made an impressive debut at St Mary's, did not make the bench.

Robbie Stockdale was named in the starting line-up along with goalscorers Nemeth and Ince.

There were places in McClaren's side for both Gianluca Festa and Robbie Mustoe - the only two from yesterday's match-day squad who played in Boro's 1997 Wembley final.

Everton boss Smith, meanwhile, included former Boro star Paul Gascoigne in his side - after being left out in each of their last four games.

But not even Gazza, determined to turn on the style at the club he spent nearly two years with before leaving in July 2000, could not produce the magic required to breakdown Boro's miserly defence.

Gascoigne received a welcoming reception from the Riverside crowd - but there were a few boos for the Geordie Genius throughout. The fans' reactions and Mark Schwarzer's fresh air kick at Festa's back-pass were the only talking points of what was a dour opening.

Slovakian Nemeth had the first chance to break the deadlock when the striker turned a downward Festa header over the bar from eight yards.

Jonathan Greening enjoyed a superb first half and his runs from midfield were causing the Everton backline problems.

But the visitors' keeper, Steve Simonsen, was not tested until he got down to save a Mustoe header following a fine run and cross from Nemeth. Everton lacked invention and were rarely in the Boro half. Similarly the Teessiders were not showing signs of finding a breakthrough.

But they were given a helping-hand by ex-Newcastle United full-back Pistone on 35 minutes.

A long ball from Boro captain Ince was of no danger to the Everton backline,when Pistone attempted to head back to Simonsen, who had come well off his line and he failed to hold.

An alert Whelan pounced on the loose ball and had the simple task of tapping his seventh of the season into an empty net.

From there Boro grew in confidence and it took them just two minutes to make it two.

Whelan was again involved when he was allowed the freedom of the pitch to cut inside from the left and play a short pass to an unmarked Alen Boksic.

The Croatian's chip over Simonsen was headed on to the crossbar by Alan Stubbs and Nemeth was on hand to head the rebound in from close range.

Five minutes later it was game, set and match when Boro rounded off the victory before half-time. And it came when Greening, who won the ball from Gascoigne, played in Boksic.

Again the ex-Lazio man opted to chip and again he was unlucky to see his effort not find the net.

Fortunately for Boro the ball ended up at the mercy of a Boro star, Ince in this case, to make sure of number three.

Toffees boss, Smith, brought on Nick Chadwick and Niclas Alexandersson for the second half, as he switched to 4-4-2.

But, despite a lot more possession, Everton could not score past a Boro side which has still not conceded a goal in the FA Cup this season. Substitute Alexandersson had an immediate impact but Schwarzer was equal to the Swede's shot.

On 65 minutes both sides went close. First, Ince's cross from the right deceived everyone, including Simonsen, and it narrowly flew wide of the upright.

Then Everton went on the offensive but Schwarzer was equal to Tomasz Radzinski's effort, after some good work by Chadwick. After that Smith's men never caused any more problems, as thoughts of a second semi-final day became a reality for Boro. And to rub salt into Gascoigne's defeated wounds, the Boro fans began to torment the midfielder with jibes.

The ex-Magpie, who was inspirational in last season's 2-1 win at the Riverside, had not had one of his better days and he had to grin and bear the humiliation of a barracking from his old fans.

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