22nd November 1986 - Newport County 0 Boro 1

[erimus74]

In the face of adversity our bandwagon is rolling on brilliantly & gathering pace

Up to the Newport game, we had played 16 league games & suffered only 2 league defeats, one at home to Blackpool & one away to Notts County,  we had also played  4 league cup matches with one defeat, losing away to Birmingham City in extra time who were a team in a higher league than us
All these games were from the same 12 players who had played no friendlies, or summer practise matches, just training in local parks with jumpers as goal posts
The season was turning out far better than the most optimistic of us Boro fans could ever have dreamed of

Bruce couldn't ask for any more from his players

Onto the Newport game & with the clock ticking down to the 90 minute mark, our 1st ever visit to Somerton Park was looking as it was going to finish goalless, with the points shared, but, the mighty Boro & Boro birthday boy our legend, Mogga, had other ideas
Boro won a corner & with practically the last kick of the match Stuart Ripley floated over a corner in to the Newport penalty box, our iconic captain 'Tony Mowbray' rose the highest to head the ball in the net & score the vital winner, goooaaaaalllllll
Within seconds the ref blows the final whistle, full time, the mighty Boro take all three points & our 6th away win of the season, the Boro fans, with the 5 hour journey, 300 miles back to Teesside to look forward to, are ecstatic

Brucy Riochs red & white army team is

Stephen Pears
Brian Laws
Colin Cooper
Tony Mowbray
Gary Parkinson
Gary Pallister
Bernie Joseph Slaven
Archie Stephens
Alan Kernaghan
Gary Gill
Stuart Ripley
SUB
Gary Hamilton - Replaced Alan Kernaghan in the 2nd half

To the fans who were old enough to remember those days, we were so, so lucky

UTMB