Boro have played very well at times and were worthy of the lead. However since the Fulham subs, their class has told a little more, plus Boro have tired somewhat and a bit of sloppy passing has come into their play.
And without appearing critical, Hellberg will be disappointed with Fulham's two goals.
However a good performance overall for the travelling supporters.
Even later to the party here. Boro now 3-1 down as the FT whistle near but still a decent performance at a Premier League ground.
We haven’t disgraced ourselves and I really didn’t want extra time! If TC had scored rather than hit the bar, then it might have been different.
Hopefully no injuries.
Onwards and uowards and allows us to concentrate on promotion.
Thanks for the link Werder. A rare treat for me to watch the second half.
Wilson the main difference. Fulham dererved to win. Hope to play them again next season.
We looked tired in the end. Let's concentrate on the league now.
Up the Boro!
Harry Wilson would squeak into the Boro team. Just a little. And Smith-Rowe but that's what it's like playing teams in a league above. Most of their players are better than most of ours. But tell that to the 2025 FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace, dumped out of the cup today by non-league Macclesfield!
Despite losing at the end, I really enjoyed the performance from Boro and they more than equaled Fulham for much of the game but they had several top quality players in reserve to bring on to just ease past Boro - maybe 3-1 flattered them a little but lots of positives from Boro with some delightful play and composure and another 'what if' with Conway hitting the bar and Whittaker just shooting wide.
So a defeat but the Boro players will take confidence from this performance and will show that they were not far behind a top-ten PL side - if Boro play like this in the Championship then a top 2 is within their grasp!
Just watched Conway's shot glance off the bar. He is NEVER going to score again from open play, is he? Has he run over a black cat or something?
Harry Wilson would squeak into the Boro team. Just a little. And Smith-Rowe but that's what it's like playing teams in a league above. Most of their players are better than most of ours. But tell that to the 2025 FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace, dumped out of the cup today by non-league Macclesfield!
And Coventry went down by 0-1 at Stoke. Does that mean that Lampard wasn't taking the Cup seriously?
I enjoyed watching the Boro, Wilson made the difference when he came on and we tired in the latter stages but came close to making it 2-2, although I didn’t want extra time. Malander is class which will alert Premiership teams looking for a CB (like Liverpool etc). Shows we might be able to survive in the Premiership if you consider how many players missing today, McGree, Jones, Brittain to name a few.
Come on BORO.
Middlesbrough did well against Premier side Fulham but now back to the serious business of keeping our position in the league.
Harry Wilson would squeak into the Boro team. Just a little. And Smith-Rowe but that's what it's like playing teams in a league above. Most of their players are better than most of ours. But tell that to the 2025 FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace, dumped out of the cup today by non-league Macclesfield!
And Coventry went down by 0-1 at Stoke. Does that mean that Lampard wasn't taking the Cup seriously?
I'd say that suggests Coventry's "slump" continues. On the one hand I'd be happy for the Sky Blues to have won and therefore to have other games to squeeze into their league schedule
On the other hand, another defeat continues Coventry's less-than-good run of form, and I like the sound of that. It will put doubt into the minds of the Coventry players. But, of course, how Boro's season pans out will be down to Boro not other teams!
With both Boro and Coventry going out means our fixture at Coventry on Monday 16th Feb will go ahead.
Come on BORO.
It's always irked me that, when Boro had that great run to the UEFA Cup final 20 years ago, so little was made of it by the national media, yet when Fulham, managed at the time by Roy Hodgson, I think, repeated the feat a couple of years later, the team's achievement was praised to the high heavens! Since then, Fulham's been one of the teams I'm happy to see come a cropper. (I don't think my ageing memory is playing tricks on me...)
KH's mixed feelings about the outcome of the match:
Doesn't appear to be behind any kind of "paywall", as I was able to see the entire thing for once.
@stircrazy I can’t read it without paying.
Come on BORO.
Kim Hellberg's mixed feelings after Middlesbrough FA Cup Fulham defeat
Dominic Shaw, Sports Reporter, The Northern Echo, 10 January 2026
IT says everything about Middlesbrough's display against one of the Premier League's form sides that Kim Hellberg came away "disappointed" that his team aren't in the hat for the FA Cup fourth round draw.
Boro deservedly led against Fulham at Craven Cottage thanks to Hayden Hackney's first half opener, and it was only after home boss Marco Silva turned to his big guns from the bench that the Premier League club fought back to win.
Substitute Harry Wilson scored a stunning leveller and set up the late third goal for Kevin, with Tom Cairney, also introduced in the second half, creating the second goal for Emile Smith-Rowe,
Come full-time, Hellberg admitted perhaps a Fulham win was a "fair result". But Boro were the better team for an hour and, even in defeat, can take heart moving forward as they turn their attention back to their Championship promotion push.
"It’s mixed feelings," said Boro's boss. "I’m proud of a lot of things - a good performance. I felt that we had a good chance to win it. They were there for the taking, but we didn't.
"And yeah, I think over 90 minutes you have to say it's a fair result that they win. But I think over 60 minutes, 70 minutes maybe, I think it's a game that is quite even. I'm impressed by how we play, how we act, how we press them, how we play with the ball. There was a lot of good things, but, of course, I’m disappointed in not actually winning it."
Kim Hellberg was true to his word and named a full strength side, making only two changes - one forced, with Alan Browne replacing the injured Alex Bangura. And although the likes of Wilson were rested, Silva also went strong.
Boro were backed by 5,000 fans in the capital and the travelling supporters showed their appreciation at full-time.
Hellberg said: "In general, I'm proud. You go away for a tough away game against a very good team.
"To go at them in the way we did, I'm very proud. We pressed them all over the pitch, we were brave on the ball. There'll be some misplaced passes, but that's how it is if you want to play. It was a good chance for us to see how good we can play against an intense, good team away, and take steps from it and learn from it.
"We started with a good team and then sub the players off, to save them for the last 15 minutes or so. We try to learn from every game, but this was a good possibility for us to play a very good team away this afternoon."
Boro's boss added: "I still think before their first goal I cannot find so many chances they had. But, of course, that is a quality goal from Wilson - a top finish. We should always want to defend that better, but that is how it is. And then when the game starts to turn, we still create some chances.
"We hit the bar. But yeah, over 90 minutes they are a very good side. They're a very good team, well coached, good at home. They're five in a row without a loss and beat Chelsea three days ago. They were a little bit better over 90 minutes, I think. But that's where we have to get better."
Well that was a pretty enjoyable watch this morning for about an hour, until the Fulham big guns came on. So it was a case that our best available first team was very much a match for Fulham's lesser lights although that did include Kevin, a very common Brazilian name, who cost 34.6 million, and Smith-Rowe at 27 million.The value of the players that came off the bench was 42 million. Kevin's goal was his first for the club. Was impressed by Malanda on first full match viewing, a ball playing centre back. Also old school, along with Ayling short sleeves, no undershirt or gloves on what was probably a pretty chilly day.
I had a similar thought, MW. Ultimately, once Fulham were at about 75% full strength, we lost 0-3.
If this had been a Premier League game with full strength sides from the off, would it have been 5-0 or something similar?
So pleased that we showed up and showed well, pleased that we’ll take some kind of momentum from it and that we didn’t appear to pick up any injuries, and not disappointed that we have no further distractions from our main event, but also realistic that there remains a big gap and, if we are (fingers crossed) promoted we’ll need to have an unbelievable transfer window just to compete even with midtable sides.
@stircrazy. Thanks for that was able to read full article on iPad. 😎
Glad I got to see the game on an unofficial stream as the cursory highlights (sorry goals) on Match of the Day gave little indication of the game being anything but a formality for Fulham. It's probably time that FA Cup moved with the times as supporters paying to stream games is really where the market should be up until the quarter finals as otherwise most games just don't get exposure beyond those who physically attend.
@werdermouth. Agree with that Werder and thanks for finding that unofficial stream.
Watched it on my Lap top but without commentary as stream 5/6 would not load and my language skills are so inadequate I was unable to understand the commentator.
It also would not allow me to switch to full screen but that was not an issue; I tried listening to the Riverside Live commentary at the same time but they were well over a minute out of synch so I gave up.
Good performance from the team and they were still in it until the equaliser went in, at which point you felt it might be the turning point.
Good that we didn’t have anyone injured and we can now concentrate on the main task. 😎
Suggestions
Two players on loan to see us through to the end of the season.
Sam Byrom RB Leeds and Tammy Abraham CF currently in Turkey.
Experienced players, who I think can help
@gt. On your Abraham suggestion, it’s reported that Villa are interested but that they may struggle to meet his £115k a week salary; I fear we may struggle! 🤔😎
Malanda had another great game yesterday and I particularly liked the way in which he was prepared to exploit any space in front of him and bring the ball out from the back.The only caveat I would have on what has been a perfect report card so far was that when he did lose the ball in an advanced position he jogged rather than sprinted back. Given the vulnerability of any defence when a key centre-back is out of position I would have expected more urgency on his part. A small detail, but not a trivial one, and something for us to keep an eye on and the coaching staff to deal with.
Well, that was a satisfactory way to extricate ourselves from an unwanted cup. Much better than a 4-0 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers. Our fans enjoyed their day out in the smoke and KH got his wish of measuring his team against the top flight. It might also have been interesting, although possibly less fun, to see how our first 60 minutes performance stood up against the best 11 that Fulham could turn out.
Turkish clubs do have a habit of not paying their players for months, but true that is a lot of wage
I accept that Fulham brought on 3 “Big Guns” and turned the match but don’t forget that Boro had at least 3 “Big Guns” we couldn’t bring on, namely McGree, Jones and Brittain to name a few.
Come on BORO.
It's off topic & I know it's futile to look back (& we now have a competent home-grown keeper), but I couldn't help but smile at this comment from Ally McCoist in the Beeb's live text commentary on the ManU vs Brighton Cup match:
I don't want to tempt fate, but Jason Steele's positioning for through balls has been excellent so far.
The Seagulls currently lead by 1-0.
I accept that Fulham brought on 3 “Big Guns” and turned the match but don’t forget that Boro had at least 3 “Big Guns” we couldn’t bring on, namely McGree, Jones and Brittain to name a few.
Come on BORO.
So did they, Exmil. I’m not sure of their injuries other than Muniz but they were also missing 2/3 to AFCON.
No shame in the defeat whatsoever, however.