Mansfield 0-2 Middlesbrough

Jan 27 2008

GARETH SOUTHGATE stayed cool as Boro struggled to overcome battling Mansfield - because he was just glad to escape the cut-throat Premiership for a day.

Boro's class eventually told as a Dong-Gook Lee strike and late Jake Buxton own goal sealed victory. But they would have been in trouble had it not been for two fine first-half Mark Schwarzer saves to deny Michael Boulding.

Boss Southgate said: "I never feel pressure in cups - I know perhaps you should against lower division sides but I always think the cup is something different, away from league pressures."

Stags gaffer Billy Dreaden slammed the protest against club owner Keith Haslam that twice saw the game interrupted as several balls were kicked on to the pitch.

He said: "We had Boro penned in and it broke our momentum up."