Town’s home game against Middlesbrough was abandoned after 37 minutes due to a frozen pitch with the score at 0-0.

After two pitch inspections, the temperature having dropped to -13 overnight, referee Dean Whitestone had deemed the surface playable, although Boro were understood to be unhappy with the decision.

Blues boss Paul Jewell had named an unchanged side for the third game running with the bench also the same as at Coventry a week ago.

The Blues started strongly and came close to creating the first opportunity in the fourth minute when a flick from Lee Martin was just taken away from Andy Drury inside the area on the right. On eight, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas crossed from the right and Daryl Murphy headed over.

Town had another chance to go in front on the quarter-hour when Murphy nodded down to Martin, who probably should have shot first time rather than taking a touch which allowed a Middlesbrough foot to take the ball away from him. The resultant corner eventually led to Emmanuel-Thomas hitting a low shot from the edge of the box into the sidenetting.

The Blues went even closer in the 21st minute when Murphy hit the bar. A short corner between Martin and Drury was played to Cresswell, whose cross was diverted into the Irisman’s path by Ibrahima Sonko. Murphy’s 15-yard strike cannoned back to Sonko but the Town skipper was crowded out.

Boro were still to seriously threaten, aside from winning a couple of corners with keeper Jason Steele and his defence not looking overly comfortable in the conditions.

On 32 the Blues were forced into a change when Sonko came off with what appeared to be a stomach muscle injury which had required treatment a few minutes earlier. Damien Delaney took his place with Tommy Smith moving to the right and taking the armband.

In the 37th minute referee Dean Whitestone went to speak to the fourth official, Wayne Porter, who had been spoken to regularly by the Boro management while the game continued, then after several minutes’ discussion decided to abandon the game much to the annoyance of the crowd.

There had been little obvious sign that the pitch had got any worse as the game had progressed, in which case questions should be raised as to why the officials gave the go-ahead for the match to start in the first place.

As they prepared to make the long journey home, the Boro fans sang ‘we want our money back’, and in the circumstances you could see their point.

Town: Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Sonko (c) (Delaney 32), Smith, Cresswell, Drury, Hyam, Martin, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy, Chopra. Subs: McCarthy, Leadbitter, Bullard, Scotland.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Hines, Williams (c), Bennett, McMahon, Thomson, Arca, Emnes, Jutkiewicz, Main. Subs: Ripley, Ogbeche, Halliday, Williams, Smallwood. Referee Dean Whitestone (Northampton). Att: 19,735 (Boro: 730).

Photo: Action Images

Keaneish added 16:49 - Feb 11 I think Sonko injured himself because of the unorthodox way his gangly self cleared the ball rather than the pitch being too hard! Suspected broken rib from a hard pitch!? That's got to be a first!!
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Infineteregress added 16:49 - Feb 11 Very annoying and baffling given the pitch passed two inspections prior to kick off. Any word on Sonks' injury? Let's hope it isn't serious.
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borge added 16:51 - Feb 11 Firstly Jordan you should probably get your facts straight about our pitch, which this season is one of the best in the entire league not just the championship. Secondly, Sonko may well have broken his rib due to the conditions, but only one other player slipped over during 36 minutes. I would suggest this is fewer occasions than in most matches and who is to say sonko wouldn't have injured himself in any other conditions? Players get injured when the pitch is dry, damp, moist and wet and we don't call games off. Jas, the EADT May well have said that and it may be true that the linesman was slipping, but he was running on the section of artificial surface between the pitch and the stand! Why common sense couldn't prevail I don't know. Surely the ref would have been better served playing the remaining nine minutes of the half and then giving himself time for a proper consultation with the groundsman, managers and other relevant officials. Calling it off when he did is nonsensical; not having the decency to explain the decision to the media is utterly disgusting given the expense and effort fans go to in order to effectively pay his match fee.

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CastleHillExile added 16:52 - Feb 11 I'm assuming that our excellent editor will be removing MoscowBluesSon's use of casually anti-semitic language a.s.a.p.
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Jordan550 added 16:53 - Feb 11 It looks like some news has arrived on this forum with Paul Jewell saying the ref was correct to end the match. Did any of you read Jewell's mind during the discussion on the side line?
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h32 added 16:53 - Feb 11 Jordan550 - your'e right - just ignore the hecklers. It all about being grown up, sensible, and truthful in these situations. But some can't do that.
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SeasonTKT_Cobbold added 16:54 - Feb 11 The issue is starting the game with the weather not forecast to change. I've emailed the FA and asked them to look at the dreadful decision making by this ref.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 16:54 - Feb 11 If the pitch was that bad, which i,m not convinced it was, then the blame is squarely with the referee. He,s had 2 oppertunities to call this game off & has deemed it playable & i don,t recall any players complaining about the conditions either. Awful decision.
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higgistockwell added 16:56 - Feb 11 can not beleive that game was called off,u know where to go for youre money back boro fans(middlesborough fc) youre football club didnt fancy it from the word go and after watching what i did mogga and his staff knew u were gonna get a tonkin
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baldman added 16:56 - Feb 11 Some times you can sort of see why games are called off but the replay has to be between the same team sheet what was given in today for both teams I think and as for Jordan your photo sums your club up no fans
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Tractamatt added 16:56 - Feb 11 Can people confirm that the armband was given to Smith. Also what chance a central midfielder on emergency loan next week.
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h32 added 16:56 - Feb 11 SeasonTKT - Cobbold - spot on in a few words. Should not have started the game.
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Jordan550 added 17:03 - Feb 11 Baldman, have you ever been to the Riverside? That is the away stand (south stand) In which away supporters are allocated only. That was against Birmingham and they only had brought 1 block, so usually they only block of half the stand so Middlesbrough fans can put banners etc up.
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Chicago_Blue added 17:09 - Feb 11 Hopefully the rearranged game can be FA Cup 5th Round Saturday?!
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Jordan550 added 17:12 - Feb 11 Sat 24th September 2011 : Middlesbrough vs Ipswich Town. Att: 17,741. Tue 12th April 2011: Ipswich Town vs Middlesbrough. Att: 17,286 Compare.
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MoscowBluesSon added 17:13 - Feb 11 CastleHillExile - Get over it
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SamWhiteUK added 17:14 - Feb 11 I don't know whether the game should have been called off not, but I understand that Jewell agrees, but I can't believe that Jordan550 can come on here and blame our pitch, which is one of the best in the league, ahead of the ref. I can't believe the pitch went through two inspections and THEN got abandoned at 37 minutes. There is no denying though that the players were happy (for BOTH sides), but the boro management were having a go (understandably, but still). Awful refereeing

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Jordan550 added 17:17 - Feb 11 If your pitch is one of the best in the league why does it not have undersoil heating if you want to keep it as one of the best?
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borge added 17:19 - Feb 11 Jordan.... Population of Middlesbrough 143,000 Population of Ipswich 128,000 Compare...
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maxharrold added 17:20 - Feb 11 Jordan550. I think you'll find tony mowbray was Complaining to the 4th official for the whole of the 37 mins. Go back to ur cardboard box and p!ss on someone elses patch
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maxharrold added 17:23 - Feb 11 Jordan550. Enough of the stats and p!ss of back to boro
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Jordan550 added 17:28 - Feb 11 It's a shame not enough turn up to beat our attendance's isn't Borge?
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SamWhiteUK added 17:43 - Feb 11 Jordan550 - don't compare attendances, compare percentages of away fans to town fans. Then, as said before me, st!cj your biased views up your ar$e and fack off
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SamWhiteUK added 17:45 - Feb 11 Jordan550 - don't compare attendances, compare percentages of away fans to town fans. Then, as said before me, st!ck your biased views up your ar$e and fack off
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SamWhiteUK added 17:46 - Feb 11 Well, not sure why that posted twice
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