Boro blow it - agony for Southgate as Cardiff march on

Instead, Championship crisis club Cardiff City inflicted the worst possible humiliation on the Boro boss and his dreadful side, who blew a gilt-edged chance to claim only the second trophy in their history and a welcome return to Europe.

By the end, as Cardiff fans somehow mustered full-blooded cruel mockery on their opponents after more than three hours of relentless singing, the ground was half full.

Southgate wanted an occasion and performance for the supporters which would have them queuing for season tickets. It is hard to see any of them returning after this.

Even those home fans who did remain could not help but join in with the chorus of "Premiership, you're having a laugh!"

Southgate, who turns his attention to a relegation fight starting at Aston Villa on Wednesday, said:

"They will be hurting and that hurts me. I know it will take some time for the wounds to heal."

It was a deserved victory for Cardiff, who had arrived with one win in seven having gone four games without a goal. They have a different battle for survival in court tomorrow but if their lawyers display the same tenacity to fight the £34million case, they will have no problems.

Manager Dave Jones tried to keep his players' feet on the ground after the club had reached an FA Cup semi-final for the first time in 81 years. Southgate, meanwhile, banned his from talking to the media.

Jones said: "Someone asked for champagne but for what? We have not done anything yet. We have not reached the final or won it so the champagne will be for the staff." And the players reaction to that? "I ducked," he said.

When their heroes emerged for a warm down and a celebration in front of their fans, thousands sang 'easy, easy'. Nobody would disagree.

They looked comfortable from the moment Peter Whittingham put the Welsh side on course for a momentous victory with an exquisite goal after nine minutes, although the diabolical defending which preceded it set the tone for Boro's afternoon.

Mark Schwarzer and Robert Huth failed to deal with a long clearance from Tony Capaldi, resulting in a throw-in which the Cardiff full-back hurled into the area. Julio Arca made the initial header but Huth, Luke Young, Fabio Rochemback and Arca watched Whittingham dance with the ball at his feet, after Stephen McPhail's obvious handball was missed by Mike Dean.

Whittingham then deftly scooped it up and over Schwarzer, in off the post. Cardiff took over. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink almost celebrated his return to Teesside with a goal from a fine diving header when Capaldi breezed down the left again, then Paul Parry curled a shot narrowly wide.

Aussie goalkeeper Schwarzer was beaten again, however, when Boro failed to clear a routine free-kick from outside the area after Rochemback's poor challenge on Hasselbaink was punished.

Whittingham glided the ball over the line of players and Emanuel Pogatetz watched Roger Johnson sprint behind him and throw himself at the ball, just as Hasselbaink had. He managed to put his effort beyond Schwarzer and on target.

The home side were shambolic for that opening 23 minutes and strangely it was their most reliable players who struggled most. Sadly for the Barclays Premier League side, it was a lethargy which lasted for the entire game.

The recalled Huth could hardly win a challenge against the tireless Hasselbaink; Arca and Rochemback could not find a red shirt; widemen Stewart Downing and Gary O'Neil barely got a kick and when they did they gave away possession. As for Afonso Alves and Tuncay, they might as well have stayed in bed. At the break, Mido replaced £12million striker Alves, who is still without a goal, although Southgate could have made 11 changes.

Cardiff 's second goal at least seemed to galvanise Boro into action, although former Aston Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman only had one meaningful save to make. That came from Alves, who turned inside Johnson in the area and unleashed a speculative shot.

The nearest Southgate's team came to creating another chance, aside from an off target Downing free-kick, was when Alves fell in the area under Kevin McNaughton's challenge and Boro appeals were waved away by Dean.

The frustration soon got the better of the home crowd, who showed their unhappiness throughout a tetchy first half, booed their team off at the break and cleared their seats long before the end.

O'Neil and Rochemback were booked for late challenges born out of frustration and Rochemback looked hell bent on adding a second yellow card to end his misery. Unfortunately for Boro, he survived the 90 minutes.