Souness in barbed attack on Barber

Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn Rovers

FA Cup 5th round

Arsenal 5 Gillingham 2

Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn Rovers 0

Walsall 1 Fulham 2

West Bromwich Albion 1 Cheltenham Town 0

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The FA Cup's reputation for passion in pursuit of glory seemed lost on both sides in a tie that cried out for inspiration but never found it on a lifeless afternoon at the Riverside. A meagre crowd of around 20,000 cast a sad reflection on the dwindling status of what was once the finest football competition of all.

Thankfully there was a winner in the end, although only after the referee, Graham Barber, had given the home side an edge by sending off Blackburn's Lucas Neill, a decision that incensed the Blackburn manager, Graeme Souness. Even more so when, three minutes from time, after another important intervention by the referee, Ugo Ehiogu headed the only goal. Souness was so upset with that he had to be restrained by a police officer as the officials left the field, which was ironic given that he had made no secret of where the FA Cup sits among Blackburn's priorities.

Afterwards, he pulled no punches in his criticism of Barber's handling of the game, choosing the moment to launch a tirade against refereeing standards in general.

"We've come away with nothing because of one person's ridiculous decision to send one of my players off," he said. "I fear for the game when referees are making decisions like that but that is the standard we are having to deal with. Every week there is some manager feeling just the same frustration.

"His decision today has cost us the game but who will bring him to account?."

Souness's view was a partial one, naturally, although he had a point in believing the judgement on Neill was harsh. When the Blackburn defender brought down Robbie Stockdale from behind after being beaten to Gareth Southgate's long ball, the Middlesbrough player, strictly speaking, had no other defender between him and goal.

However, he was in a wide position on the right from which he would have needed to do a lot more to turn the chance into a goal. What is more, Barber consulted his assistant before showing the red card, which suggests an element of doubt on his part, in which case Neill might have been expected to be given the benefit of it.

However, as Steve McClaren, the Middlesbrough manager, said afterwards, while sympathising with his counterpart, the decision will not be reversed. In any case, Blackburn, with Andy Cole looking a forlorn figure, played poorly, while Souness's decision to exclude his England under-21 midfielder, David Dunn, fearful of a suspension that would keep him out of the vital Premiership match against Bolton two weeks from now, was a clear indication of where his priorities lie.

Middlesbrough, who seemed scarcely more inspired, were not the better side, although once the midweek flu victim, Alen Boksic, and the midfielder Szilard Nemeth were introduced in the second half they looked a marginally more likely winner.

But only when Blackburn were down to 10 men, after 72 minutes, were they able to find a way to demonstrate their superiority. Barber was involved again, moving a free-kick 10 yards forward after Matt Jansen had kicked the ball away in petulance. Southgate floated the free kick towards the far post and Ehiogu, unmarked, headed past Friedel. But the day ended on a sour note for Middlesbrough with the news that Muzzy Izzet's £6m transfer has bit the dust.