Boro survive Mansfield tie

Premiership side Middlesbrough survived a potential FA Cup banana skin today as they survived the threat of Mansfield today as they battled away to scrape a 2-0 victory with a goal from Lee Dong-Gook.

The Premier League side looked on course for a routine victory when Dong-Gook Lee gave them an early lead, but the crucial second goal did not come until three minutes from time.

Boro's only comfort from a poor display will be that the last time the Stags lost to a top-flight team in the fourth round, that side went on to win the FA Cup - Wimbledon in 1988.

The Stags tore into Boro from the kick-off and Robert Huth had to dive to head away Stephen Dawson's cross, before Matt Hamshaw drove well wide in the opening 90 seconds.

The Teessiders struggled to impose their class on the tie before grabbing an undeserved 17th-minute lead.

Stags keeper Carl Muggleton failed to get any length on his clearing punch and, when David Wheater's first shot was blocked, the ball ran kindly for Lee to knock in from six yards.

All Mansfield's chances were falling to their leading scorer Boulding, but seven minutes into the second half he again failed to find a leveller, this time touching Hamshaw's fine cross narrowly wide. The 15-goal forward then knocked another Hamshaw cross wide.

The Stags had dominated the start of the second period just as they did the first, but their pressure could not be turned into a goal.

And 19 minutes from time Arca should have ended their hopes, but, after bursting clear from a Mansfield corner, his pass for the unmarked substitute Stewart Downing was over-hit.

However, Mansfield's dreams of an upset finally ended, three minutes from time, when Boro broke away from a home free-kick. Fabio Rochemback picked out substitute George Boateng in space. His lobbed cross-shot was going in, but Stags defender Buxton inadvertently deflected it over the line.