SATURDAY LIVE FOOTBALL BLOG (From The Advertiser Series)

4:59pm

That's it for this afternoon's football. Good result for Hartlepool United, a decent point for Sunderland and disappointment in London for Middlesbrough.

Keep an eye on The Northern Echo online and in print for for reports and reaction of all the weekend's play - including Newcastle United's date with Aston Villa tomorrow. 

4:43pm

GOAL: Hartlepool 2 Scunthorpe 0.

At last the second goal arrives. Monkhouse saw James into space in the area, picked him out and his touch set up nicely for a low volley into the bottom corner. 

Game over.......

4:36pm

Penalty, sending-off and a missed penalty at Pools. 

Sweeney's header handled on the line by Walker, ex-Boro defender. Howard took penalty, hit low to keepers right and saved by Slocombe.

4:28pm

Scorer Franks gone off for Pools, Holden on. Monkhouse switched to the right, Holden on the left. 

Still rather disappointing this game. 

4:22pm

Things firing up. O'Neill furious at one end when a two-footed tackle from Chico Flores on McClean went unpunished.

Then Gardner tripped Graham and Swansea got a free-kick, which was well saved by Mignolet from Dyer's effort. Still Sunderland lead but the home team on top.

4:18pm

Hour gone at Hartlepool - still too flat. Scunny had a couple of efforts from distance,   Pools yet to create in the second half. 

Howard looks out of sorts, visiting defenders doubling up on him but not getting anything. Luke James just come on for James Poole. 

3:55pm

HT: Hartlepool 1 Scunthorpe 0. Franks goal the difference, but Pools playing well within themselves attacking-wise. 

3:47pm

HT: Hartlepool 1 Scunthorpe 0. Franks goal the difference, but Pools playing well within themselves attacking-wise. 

3:46pm

GOAL: Routledge, 45mins. 1-1

Seconds remaining of the first half and former Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge has finished off a good move to level.

Michu's pass inside was chipped over the defence by Nathan Dyer and then Routledge raced through and powered beyond Simon Mignolet.

All set up for a good second half.  

3:37pm

Pools one-up, but still a bit slack. Defending well and are organised (Murray helps being in there) - there's a second gear (and more) to come from them , but until they find it can't help but think Scunthorpe have half a chance. 

3:36pm

Meyler, still expected to go to Hull on loan at some point in next few weeks, has got stripped and looks set to come on. Probably for Cattermole.

3:35pm

Cattermole has had to drop to the floor for treatment. His knee being worked on. Not looking good for the Sunderland skipper. Turned awkwardly in a tackle on de Guzman.

He's come back on but one to keep an eye on...

3:18pm

Neil Taylor, the former Newcastle target, had started well and was sticking to Johnson. But he is in a bit of trouble near the touchline after awkward fall after liunging in on Craig Gardner.

It had looked a strong tackle from Taylor, who then got in a tangle with Gardner, but the Swansea full-back in a bad way now. He is getting his leg strapped up now and is to be stretchered off. 19mins gone.

3:10pm

3:06pm

HARTLEPOOL: 6 mins in, Evan Horwood floats a free kick over the wall and just wide of the Scunthorpe goal

3:05pm

3:04pm

3:03pm

Early shout for a penalty turned down by East when Routledge thwarted by Gardner. Instead Sunderland given a free-kick to clear lines.

3:02pm

Match underway at the Liberty. Swansea - who parded new signing Pablo Hernandez in front of the fans before kick-off -looking bright already.

2:48pm

2:42pm

Middlesbrough match report now online - http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/9905877.Boro_crash_to_defeat_in_the_Lions__Den/

2:33pm

Four minutes of added on time here at the New Den.

2:32pm

From the kick-off, Boro go close twice when Friend fires against Taylor, while Emnes skies from six yards after being put in by Ledesma. Agonising stuff for the visitors.

2:29pm

Grant Leadbitter is next on the Millwall fans' hitlist after what they would describe as a 'proper naughty' challenge on substitute Feeney.

2:27pm

TEAMS from the Liberty Stadium ...

SWANSEA CITY (4-2-3-1): Vorm; Rangel, Chico, Williams, Taylor; Britton, de Guzman; Routledge, Michu, Dyer; Graham. Subs: Tremmel (gk), Tate, Schechter, Moore, Ki, Agustien, Davies.
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Gardner, O'Shea, Cuellar, Colback; Cattermole, Larsson; Johnson, Sessegnon, McClean; Fletcher. Subs: Campbell, Kilgallon, Ji, Meyler, Bramble, Saha, Westwood (gk).

2:27pm

Millwall's man of the match Trotter has left the field, replaced by Liam Feeney. Six and a half minutes left to play here in East London.

2:27pm

HARTLEPOOL team v Scunthorpe. 

Murray in, Walton out. 

Flinders; Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood; Franks, Murray, Sweeney, Monkhouse; Howard, Poole. Subs: Humphreys, Walton, Luscombe, Baldwin, McHugh, Holden, James. 

2:24pm

Still 2-1 Millwall here at The New Den, 10 to play. Millwall have been very impressive today, especially Liam Trotter who seems to  have been involved in every phase of play.

2:15pm

Luke Williams is coming on for Ishmael Miller, Boro's final throw of the dice, 73 minutes played.

2:14pm

Josh McEachran getting the majority of the flak as the Millwall fans believed he took a dive in the box. He's on a yellow card already.

2:14pm

SUNDERLAND team to face Swansea has been confirmed and looks strong again.

It will be Mignolet; Gardner, O'Shea, Cuellar, Colback; Cattermole, Larsson; McClean, Sessegnon, Johnson; Fletcher.

Danny Rose hasn't made the bench after his loan move from Tottenham. There is a place among the subs for Ji Dong-Won.

2:12pm

Millwall fans do a very good line in feeling aggrieved. Boos aplenty here.

2:10pm

There will be a new referee in charge in the Premier League today. Roger East will take charge, having been promoted this season.

The Wiltshire official has endured more testing arenas than the Liberty Stadium.

He was once asked to be part of the match officials team that took charge of the Tripoli derby between Al Ittihad and Al Ahly.

On that occasion the match finishes 1-1 and East earned a handshake from the son of former Libyan ruler Muammar Gadaffi, Muhammad.

2:08pm

2:06pm

Still 2-1 Millwall. Boro have all the possession at the moment, the introduction of Emanuel Ledesma has sparked things up a little bit.

2:05pm

Haroun's involvement is over, Richard Smallwood coming on, 62 played. Interesting one, withdrawing an attacking midfielder for a largely defensive one.

2:02pm

Remember, you can get in touch by either commenting on this story, or on Twitter by appending #echosport to your tweets. Newsquest cannot accept responsibility for third party websites, blah, blah.

2:01pm

Yikes. Grant Leadbitter has gone close with a thundering shot after Marvin Emnes found him on the edge of the box. Shot whistled wide of Maik Taylor's post.

1:58pm

Merouane Zemmama is being substituted for Emanuel Ledesma, 56 minutes in at Millwall.

1:58pm

52 minutes played here at the New Den, and there has been a right goalmouth ding-dong. James Henry powered in a free-kick from out wide, where both Andy Keogh and Karleigh Osborne had shots blocked before Boro finally cleared their lines. Official reports will all use the words 'melee' or 'scramble' while one regional newspaper will use the term 'ding-dong'. Any guesses?

1:53pm

Second half is under way at The New Den, Boro's goal three minutes before half-time could be pivotal here. The visitors need to kick on and look for the equaliser. 2-1 Millwall

1:50pm

THE NEW DEN: Gremlins have climbed into my computer and have prevented me posting a half-time's break worth of banter, insight and opinion.

1:46pm

1:43pm

1:42pm

1:42pm

1:35pm

Finally arrived at the Liberty Stadium after five-and-a-half hour drive - just in time to see Andy Carroll shine in a West Ham shirt.

Carroll looks exactly the sort of striker both Liverpool and Newcastle could have done with this season to add a different option, even if he didn't start most games.

Half-time is 3-0 at Upton Park, Carroll not got off the mark yet but has been a real nuisance to a Fulham team which has Kieran Richardson making his debut.

No teams news from here in South Wales, will update as soon as it drops. 

1:32pm

Now, I'm not one to criticise the goalkeepers too quickly here, but Jason Steele's not having his finest game here at The New Den. His handling has been poor. He'd be the first to admit it.

1:31pm

Approaching half-time here. Haven't managed to catch my breath here, I ran all the way from the train station.

1:30pm

1:29pm

Just the response Boro needed there. There was no fortune about it, a stonewall penalty. Friend was going at full tilt after an 80-yard run, Emnes slotted him in and Abdou was just too slow in getting a tackle in. The Millwall midfielder was booked for the challenge.

1:24pm

Boro clearly have players of real quality on the ball, but they're missing a presence in midfield. Front four aren't seeing enough of the ball, McEachran and Leadbitter a bit overwhelmed in the centre. Looking to the bench, I can't see where that steel can come from.

1:20pm

Tony Mowbray's unbeaten record as Boro manager at The New Den is in real danger of coming to an end here.

1:18pm

Dear me. Billy Smart stuff at the back here: Darius Henderson first of all volleys way wide, shot was going out for a throw. Jason Steele comes out, spills the catch on the edge of the box, clears it with his feet, James Henry rushes in, there are handbags and both are booked.

1:15pm

Boro have had a couple of half-chances since going 1-0 down, an Emnes ball across to Haroun, headed clear and a Haroun shot 20 yards out collected by Taylor.

1:13pm

1:08pm

Middlesbrough are a little bit under seige at the moment, Millwall look an aerial threat which, surprisingly, Boro's backline can't seem to handle. Keogh and Darious Henderson both obvious threats.

1:05pm

Your teams this afternoon:

MILLWALL (4-4-2): Taylor; Dunne, Lowry, Osborne, Malone; Henry, Wright, Abdou, Trotter; Henderson, Keogh. Subs: Forde, Shittu, Racon, Marquis, Batt, Feeney, Taylor.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Steele; Hoyte, Woodgate, Hines, Friend; Zemamma, Leadbitter, McEachran, Haroun; Miller, Emnes. Subs: McManus, Ledesma, Arca, Williams, Reach, Ripley, Smallwood.

1:04pm

Big chance for Millwall 19 minutes in. Andy Keogh's goalbound header was pushed on to the crossbar by Jason Steele, Keogh had a second bite of the cherry but Justin Hoyte deflected the header on to the post and Jonathan Woodgate cleared to safety. Excellent goalkeeping and last-ditch stuff from Steele and Hoyte.

12:57pm

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12:56pm

A belated welcome to The Northern Echo's Saturday football live blog. I say belatedly, it's technically early, since Middlesbrough kicked off at Millwall 10 minutes ago as opposed to 3pm, but this blog was supposed to start at 12pm. It didn't, and there's nothing that can be done about that. Unless we have a time machine. In any event, you've missed nothing. We're ten minutes in and it's 0-0. Although Andy Keogh has brought a decent stop out of Jason Steele with 9 on the clock.