| Bristol City | Middlesbrough | ||
| Braithwaite Assombalonga |
13′ (pen) 32′ |
||
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
67% 18 4 4 9 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
33% 13 3 4 11 |
Boro Pair Better Bristol
This half of Bristol shared similar eighties historical drama to Boro having gone bankrupt in 1982 and fortunate to have a new BCFC (1982) Ltd pick up players contracts keeping the club alive. Fortunately things for both clubs are a bit healthier now financially with both clubs having sold the family silver in the summer. TP had a short stint as Manager at Bristol City (having started his playing career at Rovers) which didn’t end well with the Home fans questioning his loyalty and vocally encouraging his departure to Pompey after only six months in charge in January 2000.
The backdrop to this afternoon’s game was both Managers bemoaning their lack of options. Lee Johnson had several defenders in the treatment room for most of the week meaning that Baker, Wright, Hegeler and Moore were likely to miss this one along with Keeper Fielding and 6ft 3” ex Scunthorpe winger Hakeeb Adelakun. I made the point of Hakeeb’s height as we have a bit of a habit coveting players at Ashton Gate of late and it certainly would have been interesting to see if they had uncovered another gem which potentially ticked a few TP boxes.
At yesterday’s press conference Tony Pulis was bemoaning how thin his squad was and how they will fall away if he doesn’t get reinforcements in which was highlighted by giving seven debuts on Tuesday evening against Notts County. The only regular first team starter involved then was Dael Fry who as luck would have it went off injured with an ankle knock but was apparently among the walking wounded and able to take part if required. Dani Ayala also played a part in that match so it was expected that one or either would get the nod with the unlucky one on the bench.
As bogey teams go the Robins certainly fell into that category pre kick off with Boro having had only one win in the last seven games against the Bristolians. City had also had three straight wins against Boro at the Gate so this was going to be a challenge even with Aden Flint having switched sides in the summer. The positives were that City were currently on a poor run of form, having not won in six games and that TP had won three out of his four games as a Manager against them.
As the sides came out it was a bit of a strange mental picture as here was Boro except that it was Bristol City wearing the Red Boro Shirts with the famous (on Teesside anyway) white band with the real Boro in their Dark Navy away strip.
Team news saw Ayala on the bench in place of new injury victim Chapman and it was a case of as you were from the last Championship game with a preferred settled eleven now seemingly established in TP’s mind. Main difference was in how we lined up with a switch to a more traditional four at the back presumably with an emphasis on keeping things tight away at a ground where we don’t usually get much joy from. Downing was wide right with Braithwaite occupying the left side and Britt up front. Clayton was in front of the back four with Wing and Howson just in front of him.
Bristol started the opening few minutes trying to compose and dictate things with Paterson getting the home fans out of their seats on five minutes. Boro’s first foray was a trademark Shotton throw in shortly afterwards which didn’t trouble the Robins Keeper Maenpaa. City were next to threaten with a speculative Brownhill shot which was little threat to Randolph.
A mix up in the City defence on thirteen minutes when a ball delivered in from Randolph from wide right in his own half was flicked on by Assombalonga on the edge of the box which first deceived and was then misjudged by Hunt, consequently affording Braithwaite the opportunity to carefully side-foot a shot from ten yards out past Maenpaa to put Boro one up for a dream start.
The feat was nearly repeated a few minutes later when another hopeful punt up field from Randolph was again miscued by a City defender, allowing Britt this time a chance but it was charged down. The pressure was building and Flint was up next to nearly head home on his return to his former club after showing no emotion when Braithwaite had scored minutes earlier. Clearly Shotton’s and now Friend’s long throws were causing anxiety in the Bristol box, which was made even worse by Randolph’s long punts.
The next main talking point was Ryan Shotton laid out after colliding and possibly clashing heads and then crashing into the turf on landing. Fortunately he managed to clear his head and continue, though for a moment it looked a lot worse than perhaps it was. No doubt he will have a few aches and pains when he wakes up on Sunday morning.
City then mounted a few concerted assaults in an effort to draw level, with Paterson finding Wiemann but the ex-Derby man fired well over. A fierce Hunt ball in was pushed away by Randolph, much to Boro’s relief as Bristol pressure was building. The visitors were now looking nervy with bodies being laid on the line to repel the assaults. Then a rash challenge by Dael Fry on Watkins led to a yellow card and a dangerous free kick being awarded, but when taken the free kick thankfully flew into the stand. Hunt then put in a cross for Watkins which was headed over and with it ending a period of sustained pressure for the Robins.
Boro responded in the best way possible with a break down the right after another Boro long throw attempt was cleared, and with Flint still in the Bristol box, Downing pinged in a perfect cross over Flint to which Assombalonga seemed to manhandle his marker to head home and make it two nil, which broke the hearts of the home fans who had been genuinely sensing a way back into the game.
The difference between the two sides was simply in the quality of the finishing and perhaps aided by Bristol being overly concerned about that man Flint.
City once again started to pressure Randolph’s goal with Howson having to clear a Webster cross. Another chance for Wiemann after he was played in by Brownhill but he couldn’t make contact with it properly. It was the turn of Flint now to do some defending as he kept out Paterson and then just on forty-five minutes Wiemann was flagged offside as Boro went into the half time break two up serenaded by a cacophony of despondent boos from the Home fans at another fruitless City performance this season.
As much as Bristol were having plenty of possession and at times almost dominance, there was an air of confident belief about Boro. All the Bristol efforts had been blocked and cleared with their best chances being long range affairs. TP will have certainly been the happier of the two Managers.
There were no changes at the interval and understandably Bristol came out all fired up, determined to try and get one back quickly. Pisano had a sliced shot which was well wide after a scramble in the Boro box. Patterson forced Randolph into a save and then George Friend found his way in the Ref’s notebook for taking too long over a throw-in as he tried to stifle Bristol’s momentum in a frantic first five minutes of the second half.
A few minutes later, Downing with a shoot to kill mentality, hit a fierce shot from outside the box that just went over Maenpaa’s bar to remind the Robins that Boro hadn’t finished for the day just yet. Friend was involved again as this time he headed over from a corner. City responded with Paterson again firing over Randolph’s goal as they repeatedly fluffed their lines in the Boro half. A minute later, the Travelling Army momentarily thought the game was put to bed by our marauding Dane after being put through by Howson to beat the offside trap but unfortunately the side netting was the end result. A goal at that point in the game would have effectively finished this as a contest.
Despite a lot of possession Bristol were ineffective and Lee Johnson needed some fresh impetus in the form of Taylor who came on for Smith near the seventy minute mark. It seemed to have the opposite effect as once again Maenpaa was busy dealing with Flint connecting with a Downing free kick from which Assombalonga nearly pounced. Johnson then made a double substitution as O’Dowda and Da Silva came on for Hunt and Patterson with fifteen minutes remaining.
The changes seemed to add some spark as Fry had to clear from Wiemann and a Pisano header came off Randolph’s crossbar with Randolph then forced to pull off a great save from Wieman’s follow up. TP then removed Braithwaite for Tavernier in an effort to run the clock down and break up play. Bristol continued their onslaught and this time Brownhill’s free kick smashed off the underside of Randolph’s crossbar.
After looking calm and disciplined all game, things were now getting very anxious as Bristol twice hit the woodwork. TP then brought his second goal scorer off with Fletcher coming on for Britt. Five minutes added time came up on the fourth official’s board and TP this time withdrew Downing for Paddy McNair to shore things up and of course disrupt play. The whistle went and Boro remained top of the league thanks to some well taken opportunities but in the main some sterling defensive work. MOM is difficult as Britt and Braithwaite were both very good but then so was Downing, Wing and Clayton but I think Dael Fry just slightly edged it, no doubt helped by the thought of a fit Dani Ayala breathing down his neck.
A long day out but well worth the long drive back north, looking forward to seeing Leeds and Derby on the EFL highlights show and tucked somewhere in-between middling Championship sides will no doubt be those party spoiling table topping Northerners.