Author: Redcar Red

Wigan Athletic		Middlesbrough
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	49% 6 2 5 11	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	51% 15 1 7 14

Profligate Boro draw a blank

For a change there was no ex Boro Manager involved with this week’s opponents Wigan. Once upon a time these two sides used to meet in the Premiership in what seemed like an eternity for both sets of fans. I recall Jermie Ardlyeverthere once scoring in a victory and likewise even the Yak netting before he disgraced himself in 2007 in what was one of the most unsportsmanlike and shameful episodes of any Boro player.

Wigan only arrived into the Football League back in 1978 at the expense of another North West side Southport. The name Wigan apparently comes from the Ancient Briton term for Welshman in the days before they were pushed into Wales by the advancing Romans. The Boro travelling army were hoping that new look Boro could repeat a similar victorious feat this afternoon. Paul Cook the Wigan Manager had no serious injury concerns so had a full squad to select from as they hoped to add to their four match unbeaten record. TP had question marks over Flint and Friend, whose absences had forced the seemingly more dynamic and potent Boro set up.

Team news saw TP stick with the same side as the QPR game as most had thought or at least hoped while Cook made two changes to his starting eleven bringing in Kipre and Byrne in place of Jacobs and Pilkington from their draw against the Tractor boys.

Ref Stephen Martin’s whistle got proceedings underway as the Home side kicked off at a wet and overcast but unseasonably mild DW Stadium in front of a sizeable Boro travelling army amounting to almost a third of those in attendance. Initial excitement involved a great move between Howson and Fletcher as Boro came closest to breaking the deadlock. Early exchanges saw Boro look comfortable with Wigan looking slightly suspect with their unconventional back three. In the 9th minute Wing fed Fletcher whose effort was cleared to Howson whose “shot” should have been met by Britt who in fairness was surprised and stuck out a leg more in hope than anything but the best chance of the game thus far was gone.

Howson again charged forward unleashing a shot that was cleared as our right wing back was looking up for the game and sensing that the Home side were there for the taking. Boro were now zipping the ball about with confidence and next up was Lewis Wing who played Britt in but the effort went over but the pressure was building. Wigan however were settling into the match and on 20 minutes a cross was chested out by Saville for a Wigan corner which was played into the near post and fortunately cleared in what was the first real spell of pressure from Wigan.

A challenge between Windass and Ayala saw Dani add to his yellow card collection for what was presumably a push but it all looked fairly innocuous and a talking to at most. The pace of the game had now slowed which seemed to suit the pie eaters more and the weekly great save from Randolph from Morsy was a warning to Boro that they needed to get back into this. Seconds later Howson had to clear out for a corner which saw a shot that went wide of Randolph’s goal which had the Home fans booing for the Refs decision to award a goal kick when it looked to all intents and purposes like it took a deflection off a red shirt.

Shotton was perhaps fortunate not to follow Ayala into the book for a foul on the lively Morsy as Wigan now started to control the game. Assombalonga wide left found Howson who tried to place a shot that went out for a corner which in turn went out almost immediately for another corner  delivered by Wing but it was routinely cleared. A reckless challenge by Dunkley on Wing as he received the ball from Fletcher had the away fans looking anxious as he received treatment. The resultant free kick would have been ideal for Wing but he was on the touchline receiving treatment so we saw Saville take responsibility but he hit it low and harmlessly wide.

Boro had now started to get back into proceedings as the minutes ticked down towards the half time whistle. A long Ryan Shotton throw in found Ayala but James cleared and Windass was adjudged to have been blown over by Shotton as the Ref seemed incredibly sensitive to any sort of physical challenge, clearly influenced by the volume level of the Home fans. Another Boro throw in quickly found Mo Besic who rattled off a shot which was tipped around the upright by Jones for a corner which almost predictably ended up floating onto the top of his net.

A Besic dither losing possession saw Windass now trying to entice Ayala into a rash challenge, gamesmanship seemingly being a deliberate tactic now aware of the Referee’s suspect whistling habits. Fletcher had a good chance but passed instead of taking it on and the ball went harmlessly out of play just before the half time whistle sounded with Boro having the best of chances but so far just lacking that killer instinct. Paul Cook would have been by far the happier of the two managers hearing the whistle at 0-0. The half times elsewhere were all going well from a Boro perspective and if we could just nick a goal surely we could see this game out comfortably with a clean sheet and cement a Playoff place. News was that Bristol, Forest and Birmingham were all losing and that Frank Lampard’s Derby were being ripped apart by Villa. Even Norwich had been pegged back level at the Den.

Boro kicked off the second half with no changes from either side. Besic was cleaned out for a definite yellow which Ref Martin somehow ignored as his inconsistency continued. Wing fired in the free kick which was initially cleared by Morsy but was launched back in by Fry seeing Shotton win the header knocking it down to Ayala who swung his boot but was deemed to have fouled Dunkley in the process. Wing now seemed to be pushed further up with Besic sitting deeper after half time to try and get at and rattle the Wigan defence.

Dael Fry then put the ball out for a Wigan corner which immediately led to a second corner which was powered into the Boro box but the danger was cleared by Saville. Frustratingly we could almost taste the three points but we needed to take the next opportunity or else you sensed that Wigan could spoil things for the noisy travelling Teessiders. Another half chance once again set up by Howson ended in nothing then almost immediately at the opposite end Leon Clarke saw his glanced header go just wide of Randolph’s goal. TP now needed to think about changing things as the Besic/Mikel combo had looked awkward and our wasteful forwards needed feeding.

The game was see-sawing and could have gone either way. A Besic volley was hit well but too high which was now becoming the norm for the afternoon. Windass then led a Wigan break and in a quick move Evans fluffed his lines indicating just how edgy this game had become. Besic had yet another long range effort but again it was well off the target. Paul Cook blinked first and took off Naismith to bring on Jacobs.

Wing played the ball out to Howson who won a corner for his troubles as Boro searched desperately for that elusive goal but another poor Saville corner was easily collected by Jones. 65 minutes now gone and TP had his subs warming up clearly thinking about adding some verve in the form of Stewy, Tav or VLP. That sight of subs warming up seemed to momentarily spark things as another Boro shot was fired into the side netting.

Downing then came on for Besic to add a little more composure and predictability than Mo had offered despite his off target shot stats for the afternoon. Stewy went to left wing back with Saville now pushed up into the midfield. A cross was cleared out by Howson for a Wigan corner but the Ref bizarrely gave a Boro goal kick from which Britt broke feeding Fletcher who rounded the Keeper but hit the side netting when scoring looked easier. Next a fierce Saville cross was inviting but nobody could get on it as it went out for a throw in. Things were getting more and more frustrating from a Boro perspective. Cook took Windass off and Pilkington came on for Wigan with twenty minutes remaining.

The ball did end up in the net but Fletcher was penalised for out-muscling Kipre which for Boro fans seeing Fletcher supposedly foul was almost laughable as the Ref came up with yet another controversial interpretation of the laws. TP had Hugill warming up but if Fletcher was considered as too physical by the Ref then heaven knows what he would make of Hugill. Jonny Howson picked up a careless yellow card as Tav and Hugill were both readied to be brought on with ten minutes remaining. A weak Boro penalty claim was dismissed; Wigan then broke but sent the ball into the stands courtesy of Jacobs as both sides struggled to hit the intended target. Fletcher and Assombalonga were deemed to have had enough chances by Pulis and departed the field while Cook made his last change at the same time.

The bold double substitution almost saw immediate dividends as Tav closed down the Wigan defence and forced a Boro throw in as ominous dark clouds gathered prophetically over the DW Stadium. Tav and Downing tried to desperately feed Hugill but the balls were not of the required quality, desperation levels in the away stand were rising as Bristol had equalised and Norwich had gone 3-1 up at the Den.

Five minutes now left, Tav found Fry who played in Downing who was clearly fouled but not in the eyes of the Ref who continued his eccentric display. Mikel then played in Tav who set up Hugill but his first touch was like a welly wearing Hippo in a tutu and the ball went out for a Wigan goal kick. Time was running out as the fourth official programmed three minutes of added time on his board.

Tav left Morsy chasing his shadow, fed Howson who played it back to Tav who invited a tackle and won a corner for the effort. Downing took the corner but the delivery was woeful yet again as our set pieces had been all afternoon. It didn’t look like it was Boro’s day at all as sub Garner won a corner in the dying seconds off Fry. James delivered the ball in which came off Kipre and a free kick was yet again bizarrely awarded. As the game restarted the final whistle went. Boro had their chances but our finishing was woeful and not for the first time our Strikers needed far too many chances to convert. A point was a disappointment as reality sunk in that this result pretty much made any hopes of a top two spot now a forlorn hope.

MOM was undoubtedly Howson who was head and shoulders above everyone else in a Red shirt. We had spells of pressure in a scrappy game that we should have won but poor finishing was our Achilles heel as storm Freya was about to make the journey back across the A66 even more dramatic than our shots on target.

Middlesbrough		Queens Park Rangers
Howson Fletcher	2′ 32′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	45% 10 4 4 13	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	55% 9 4 3 11

Stroll in the Sun

And so it came to pass (sideways no doubt) that yet another ex Boro Manager was to visit the side by the River. The masses assembled to pay homage “Teesside style” to the one who had once provided Silver in the desire that he would leave empty handed upon his return.

Prior to Kick Off it looked odds on that Mac would indeed be unlikely to garner any points from this afternoon as his star influencer and of course ex Boro target Luke Freeman would be missing with a hip problem. The injury to his talismanic midfielder could mean a return to the starting line-up for Ebre Eze after a lengthy spell out with injury himself. Others definitely missing would be Angel Rangel and Geoff Cameron but Grant Hall was expected to be back for the Hoops after being rested for their sixth straight defeat in midweek with a knee problem. There were some hopes in the Rangers camp come Saturday morning that perhaps Freeman may indeed be fit as the mind games started.

Tony Pulis still had a massive defensive headache despite the timely return from suspension of Dani Ayala. George Friend hobbled off last week, Flint was still out injured and there was a question mark over Ryan Shotton so for the second game running TP would have to shuffle his pack and that could mean retaining the services of Jonny Howson and George Saville as Wing Backs. The team news saw a back three of Ayala on the right, Shotton central and Fry on the left with Howson and Saville as the wing backs. The side was basically the same as the Blackburn game with Ayala back in for Friend.

The start of the game couldn’t have gone any better for Boro. The sun was shining and with many still balancing burgers and fries whilst shepherding errant kids to their seats Mo Besic played a long testing ball into the QPR box leaving Lumley stuck in two minds allowing Jonny Howson to sweep in from the right and score via a one two with himself as the ball cannoned off one shin into the path of his opposite boot, one nil with under two minutes completed. That goal killed the game stone dead as a contest literally, whatever slight hope QPR had was gone in just over sixty seconds. It was a sublime ball from the Bosnian who looked far better than he had of late and again the question has to be asked is whether having two strikers and overlapping wing backs was providing him forward options thereby limiting his need for those circular dribbles into trouble from earlier in the season.

Rangers had clearly come to sit back and absorb Boro pressure knowing that scoring wasn’t a strong point on Teesside but that plan was now gone and as a side they looked distinctly punch drunk as they restarted the game. Clearing their heads the visitors broke in a well worked move to warm up Randolph with a shot from Freeman’s replacement Eze. If Rangers were to get anything from the game it looked like Eze and Wszolek would be Steve McLaren’s best hopes. That half chance was the best this poor Hoops side could muster in the opening stages as Boro passed the ball around confidently. Mikel, Besic and Wing supported by Howson and Saville had a bit of polish with a few flicks and quick one two’s marking a departure from the more stoic type of Home displays that have held our progress back on far too many Saturday afternoons at the Riverside.

Besic collected the ball and drove at the frail Rangers defence and as they parted he unleashed a twenty five yard shot that went wide but was enough to release a few oohs and aahs from the South Stand. It didn’t take long for Mo to play another killer ball this time through to Fletcher who advanced into the box and unleashed a left footed rocket off the underside of Lumley’s crossbar leaving him helpless as the ball crossed the line to make it two nil and definitely game over this time with the half hour mark just passed. This was Besic seemingly getting back to his best although he did occasionally manage to get himself into trouble and also picked up a yellow for a rash challenge on Hemed on the half way line after waiting to receive a ball from Mikel instead of giving an option. The mercurial playmaker was a thorn in the Rangers midfield as he and Mikel snapped at everything allowing Wing the freedom to set up the wing backs as the Riverside faithful were looking forward to an inevitable goal fest.

Strangely that was as good as the afternoon got, those two early goals meant job done as Boro then played out a composed and controlled first half never breaking sweat although Britt had a great opportunity which he spurned, thankfully he chose a day when it didn’t really matter allowing Lumley an opportunity to finally make a save. It was a day where Boro had the veritable deck chairs out in a half that they will seldom have such comforts in again. The half time whistle went much to McClaren’s relief as he now had to try and figure out how to get something from a game they were never in as a contest.

The second half got under way with the anonymous Manning being replaced by Osayi-Samuel as McClaren decided to go offensive and throw caution to the wind. The early indications were that this shuffle of his pack was working as they looked a far more threatening and capable unit than the weak showing in the first half. Besic was again the focus of some attention as he had a little nibble and lucky not to receive a second yellow from Ref Madeley who seemed to be inconsistent all afternoon especially with regards to Britt being constantly barged and bundled into by the extremely limited Leistner who wouldn’t have looked out of place in a WWE ring.

TP obviously didn’t fancy going down to ten men and brought off the Bosnian for Downing. Within a minute the change seemed to wrong foot Rangers with Stewy going to the right of the midfield with Wing left and Saville coming through with a curling effort that kissed the top corner of Lumley’s crossbar, that third goal just wasn’t going to come. Then it finally arrived after a scramble in the Rangers box the ball broke out which Wing reacted to quickest and managed to poke it through for Britt to score but the Ref blew for a supposed foul by Wing on Cousins. It seemed soft as both players had their feet at knee height simultaneously and the bravest won the duel. It was chalked off for what seemed like a very unfair reason as the North Stand explained in unison the innocuousness of it all.

Mac then put on the big lad Matt Smith for Hemed while Pulis took off Fletcher for Tavernier. Ashley received a warm ovation as he left the pitch in what was probably his most personally fulfilling game since arriving at the Riverside. Tavernier livened things up immediately on his arrival and was quickly brought down for a free kick as he linked up well with both Wing and Saville making our left side come alive. Britt had another great chance as the ball spun out to him on the penalty spot courtesy of Tav but he placed his shot too gently straight at Lumley who gratefully collected the ball.

This was one of those Britt games where he could and should have had a hat trick but drew a blank. That last miss was enough for Pulis to swap Britt for Hugill who gave Leistner a taste of his own physicality when he came on and also done a good job holding the ball up in the dying minutes courtesy of his derriere and backing into defenders near the corner flag. Nahki Wells who was McClaren’s last throw of the dice tested Randolph after a slip up from Ayala but the big Bray man was equal to it. Wing had gone close earlier after a one two with Tav who also had an effort of his own which just missed the target. It ended two nil with Boro rarely looking to get out of second gear and almost disappointing after the swashbuckling start which had graduated into overcomplicating things but it’s a home win and three points are three points so job done.

MOM was difficult; there were no poor performances and indeed some very commendable ones across the pitch. Besic was much improved though not without a few of those special Mo moments, Howson was excellent as was Wing. Saville stuck to his task on the left; Shotton was a colossus in the middle of the back three but Dael Fry looked like a young Franz Beckenbauer winning aerial challenges with ease and dribbling the ball out of defence assuredly on numerous occasions and perhaps should consider having a go himself rather than passing it in the last twenty yards.

A special mention for the Stewards and First Aiders who came to the assistance of a fan in a North Stand stairwell just before the Kick Off and in also finding and looking after a little boy who I assume was with him. They get some well-deserved stick at times but today they were there when needed.

Blackburn Rovers		Middlesbrough
[sent off] Williams	45′	Assombalonga	19′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	49% 5 1 4 8	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	51% 26 7 5 9

Boro Renaissance at Rovers?

A Sunday morning trip across the Pennines in bright sunshine can be a very pleasant experience but when it’s with a depleted defence to face an ex-Manager plus a few ex-Players then TP may have been forgiven for having a few misgivings. Make do and mend would be the order of the day as Pulis was without both Ayala and Flint at the heart of his defence. Meanwhile Mowbray had supposedly rested Bradley Dack and Danny Graham in midweek for this one.

With the Season now well over the half way point the remaining downhill run of games until May are all becoming critical. West Brom aside the underwhelming nature of some performances of late meant that here we were now facing a “must win” game to ensure that we remain in that Play Off pack. TP looked to be going with a 442 based on the team announcement at mid-day with Howson at RB and Shotton partnering Fry in the middle of the defence and Friend as LB. Besic made a return to the starting line up as did surprise announcement Ashley Fletcher who presumably would be partnering Britt up top or maybe wide left with Wing on the right and Britt up on his own? There again would it be a back three of Shotton, Fry and Friend with Howson and Saville as the wing-backs? There was certainly more flexibility in this Boro line up than TP’s norm.

Mogga had restored Derrick Williams, Harrison Reed, Bradley Dack and Danny Graham in his side in an effort to stop the rot of a run of three straight defeats, eager to ensure this afternoon didn’t become a fourth. Harry Chapman didn’t make the Rovers squad which for me was a relief as I was in fear of the “Typical Boro” curse but both Jayson Leutwiler and Richie Smallwood were on the bench for Mogga.

Thanks to the rearranged time and live on Sky there was a much reduced Travelling Army than of late to Ewood Park which saw Bradley Dack kick off to get proceedings underway. Immediately the positioning on the pitch saw Howson and Saville as wing backs with a back three to answer the tactical conundrums pre kick off. A Shotton throw in in the second minute saw the central CB step out of the defence to launch a ball that was nodded on and looking dangerous but no Red shirt reacted at the far post. Blackburn cleared with Armstrong breaking dangerously up their left wing which ended with Besic marshalling the ball out for a goal kick.

A well worked sequence between Besic, Wing and Mikel saw Britt put though but the ball just had a little too much weight on it as Boro started positively. Another Shotton throw in on 6 minutes needed a strong punch from Raya which eventually came to Mikel who blasted the ball back in only to be blocked by what looked like a hand ball by Evans just outside the Rovers box but the Ref waved play on. A counter attack by Rovers was blocked by Mikel who in turn fed Wing and an inch perfect cross found Fletcher who rose to head it but it was straight at Raya who dealt with it comfortably.

Another Shotton long throw after Assombalonga had earned a throw in high up was cleared back out to Shotton who then put a cross in which was met by Britt but again the header was straight at Raya with perhaps a hint of offside in any case. In the opening fifteen minutes Boro had looked very comfortable, almost too comfortable in fact and you had the feeling that if we didn’t make this pressure count we could rue the cost later on.

A long clearance (or “hoof”) from Fry in the RB slot up field saw the ball bounce over Mulgrew and the alert Fletcher then latched onto the loose ball, unleashed a shot that was deflected off the same despairing Mulgrew’s boot to the far side of the box over his keeper where Britt powered a header home into an inviting net to put Boro deservedly one up. Three minutes later a well worked series of intricate tight passes on our left wing saw Lewis Wing swivel and take an audacious shot that went well wide and over Raya’s goal but the build-up play and move was an indication of the growing confidence levels in Boro.

On 27 minutes it was interesting to note that when Blackburn actually had their first set piece Fletcher was drafted back into the defence to add some height which was perhaps another reason for his inclusion as it happened he was the defender that cleared it. Things went a little quiet for Boro as Blackburn tried unconvincingly to apply some pressure over the next 5 minutes. A reckless Rodwell tackle in which he scythed through Britt saw him collect the game’s first yellow after a similar tackle on Saville in the opening stages went unpunished. A ball out of defence from Howson found Wing who drove forward with Britt asking for the ball to be played behind the defence but he opted for Fletcher who cut in but saw his shot hit the side netting.

A minute later another Boro foray saw Besic hit a low twenty yard shot for Raya to scramble down to it. Two off sides for Britt in almost as many seconds saw Rovers now living on the edge as Boro were looking good value for a second goal against a woeful Blackburn side. A warning however came in the form of a fiery cross in from Reid in the 39th minute which was the first bit of work that Randolph had to do in a half that Boro had totally dominated up until then.

The first serious “threat” from Blackburn came just two minutes before the break when Bennet put in a cross to Graham that saw Friend ghost in behind him and get his head to what looked like a certain goal. Assombalonga cleared the danger from the ensuing corner which was eventually given as a free kick to Boro but critically for Blackburn one from which Fletcher broke free and was brought down clumsily in the “D” to see Williams take an early bath and Rovers down to 10 men. The half ended as Boro’s first half’s so often do of late to a cacophony of boos but this time from those of a Blackburn persuasion as the travelling Army cheered and clapped their heroes off the pitch.

Injuries aside there was very little that Tony Pulis would want to change with his side after their first half performance in what was possibly the most measured, positive and entertaining of the season so far from Boro. Here we saw pace, movement off the ball, players running into spaces to receive and a fair bit of swagger for good measure. Mogga on the other hand already had a headache with Boro’s front two and now with a defender down and trying to get back into the game he had his work cut out. His response was to send Nyambe, Bell and Travis on for Rodwell, Brereton and Evans in what looked like either a statement of intent or annoyance with what had gone before.

Fletcher had an early shot at Raya after the restart then seconds later Wing rattled Raya’s crossbar from 25 yards out after a Fletcher knock down tee’ d him up. It was more of the same as Boro continued in the second half where they had left off in the first, in total dominance. Friend went flying down the wing but ran out of pitch despite playing as part of a back three and Howson done the same on the right. A break for Rovers by Sub by Bell needed Shotton to cut out the cross conceding a corner that was well defended. Interestingly Rovers had kept possession from the corner, passing and recycling but Boro defended, closed, chased and pressurised the Rovers players in their possession and eventually forcing them back to their keeper Raya.

Another effort from Fletcher was enthusiastically hit well over when in reality he should have played in a colleague but there was no doubting his desire and hunger. George Friend meanwhile went down worryingly needing some stretches with the Physio to sort himself as McNair warmed up. Right now Blackburn were enjoying their best spell and benefited strangely from Saville adjudged seemingly to have managed to up end an opponent from three yards away leading to a free kick in a similar position to the Blades one on Wednesday night but this one was headed wide.

McNair then came on for Friend going to the right of the three CB’s with Fry now going left. A clever ball from Wing played in across the 18 yard box found Saville whose shot was desperately blocked in the six yard box. The game was now getting scrappy which suited Rovers as they pushed for an equaliser with their man disadvantage seemingly irrelevant. What should have been comfortable for Boro was now looking dubious as Saville had a great chance but hit a poor shot on 65 minutes throwing away the opportunity to put the game to bed. We were sitting too deep again and needed to get the ball cleared with more control and composure to get Blackburn back under the cosh.

An impressive piece of well worked play between Saville, Besic and Britt eventually ended with Britt blasting the ball aimlessly over Raya’s goal. A cheeky Jonny Howson cross was dangerously dipping under the crossbar in the 70th minute requiring Raya to tip it over. From the corner Boro kept up the pressure leading to another corner before which Downing came on for Besic as Wing launched the corner straight into Raya’s grateful arms. Stewy had now taken took up the left wing back role as Saville was pushed forward. A long Boro clearance once again bounced and left Mulgrew lost for the second time but Britt fluffed his lines and just couldn’t get it under control and the moment was lost.

A repeat of Howson’s earlier cross come shot was repeated by Bell that had Randolph this time back pedalling. Another of those bouncing balls this time caught Shotton out allowing Danny Graham through in a one on one but thankfully the ball didn’t land kindly for him and his shot skewed well wide. Fletcher had another good chance but he shot meekly at Raya instead of squaring to Britt on 79 minutes. On eighty minutes Fletcher was replaced by Hugill more to add some fresh legs rather than a reflection on his overall game but we still did need that second goal.

A well worked set piece from Blackburn saw a free kick come across the Boro back line where Graham headed it back into the middle of the Boro box where Dack fired in a close range shot requiring Randolph to get down quickly preventing an equaliser with six minutes of normal time remaining. Things were slightly uncomfortable as Boro looked to close the game out knowing all too well that one slip would undo all the earlier good work.

Downing had a shot that went wide; Britt then had a chance but dallied too long allowing a covering defender to get in a block and all the time nerves in the away end were jangling. Seconds later a fast break saw Britt play a one two with Saville but Britt’s shot was again cleared in the 6 yard box going out for a corner. Mikel played Downing in with a precise through ball taking out three Blackburn defenders for Stewy to get a shot in but Elliot just done enough to put him off as the ninety minutes were almost up.

Boro played keep ball near the corner flag between Britt, Downing and Saville using up a minute of the three added on ones. A crazy Rovers back pass then saw Raya having to scramble to prevent a thirty yard own goal and his clearance found the lively Bell who forced a last second heart stopping corner. Was this to be it? Raya sprinted up and after some head tennis in the Boro box from said corner Randolph eventually claimed and calmed things as the final whistle went simultaneously.

One nil and all three points was a great result on a bright winter’s day in the North West but the second half saw us hanging in at times when we really should have put ten men Blackburn to the sword after a great first half and an optimistic opening ten minutes of the second. Twenty six efforts on the Blackburn goal yet only one goal to show for it were both great and disappointing in equal measure.

MOM was a tough one but thankfully for all the right reasons this time. There were some solid defensive performances from the three, Saville was full of tireless running and made things tick as did Wing along with Howson down the right. Fletcher done well despite his eagerness to score saw him make a few poor finishing decisions but there was no doubt his running led to both the goal and the sending off. Britt ran a lot more than usual, done some sterling defensive work and scored, Besic was calm and measured and done well but the one who shaded it for me was Mikel, he was majestic in the middle, routinely broke things up, shielded his defence and set up attacks.

Sheffield United		Middlesbrough
Stearman	61′	[Red Card] Ayala	64′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	57% 15 5 4 6	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	43% 10 4 4 14

Blunt Boro fall to the Blades

A Fourth game in a hectic twelve days came for Boro as we travelled the relatively short distance (after Birmingham and Newport) down the A1 to Sheffield and Bramall Lane this evening. The Blades had the slight advantage of last playing Friday night in a frantic and frenetic game away to Villa in which they remarkably managed to squander a three goal lead after 82 minutes to draw 3-3. This game was crucial for both teams to retain both their Play Off positions and also hope for an Automatic spot. As despondent as Boro undoubtedly felt about conceding that 111th minute Leeds goal imagine letting in three with eight minutes remaining!

Chris Basham was definitely be unavailable for selection by Chris Wilder after picking up his tenth booking of the season against Villa last Friday night. His absence saw a familiar face in the Blades line up in the form or Martin Cranie who spent a few months at Boro last season. Marvin Johnson currently on loan at Bramall Lane was unavailable to face his employers conversely Scott Hogan on loan from Villa would be available after sitting out last Friday. TP went with the same side as started against Leeds with the surprise that Lewis Wing was deemed fit.

Boro in an unfamiliar Millwall look with Navy Shirt and socks with White shorts started lively enough with Fry having an early foray down the left wing. The first shot on goal of the evening had Randolph getting down comfortably in the third minute. Randolph however had to be at his best with a full stretch save from Duffy on five minutes from 25 yards out. Wing and Hugill worked a half chance between them but it ran out of steam out in the Blades 18 yard box. A good ball from Mikel to Friend ended with a lobbed cross easily collected by Henderson. On 11 minutes Saville went down in the middle of the park after a clash across the neck with McGoldrick. After a few rubs with the magic sponge he was able to continue his evening’s quest.

Both sides had started with three at the back as they lined up as a mirror image of one another. A wild clearance from Shotton gifted a Corner which was wasted fortunately with the ball ending up back in Henderson’s goalmouth after a few even worse examples of ball control by those in stripes. A dummy from Wing allowed Saville an early attempt but it went well wide. Shotton stood off Dowell instead of clearing the danger and allowed a dangerous cross in to Sharp who swivelled but missed inside the Boro 18 yard box. The opening 20 minutes had been a fairly low key affair with neither keeper being really troubled with as expected Sheffield United seeing most of the ball.

A Boro corner was played short and then sent across the box by Wing forcing Henderson to punch clear with Ayala in close attendance. In the clearance Mikel was fouled, Saville took the free kick across to Howson on the edge of the 18 yard box, heading it centrally towards Ayala who connected with his head but it went well wide as Boro started to enjoy a little bit of a purple patch approaching the half hour mark. A Shotton cross found Hugill who just couldn’t get it out from under his studs ending a lengthy spell of Mikel conducted control.

Flint went down with a hamstring he had collected earlier in the game when he tried to clear a ball and immediately felt the pain. There is the question that perhaps he hadn’t fully recovered from his injury a few weeks ago. Downing came on in his place and a shuffle was required with Friend going into the three at the back and Fry taking over Flints right sided CB role with Stewy operating as left wing back. Shotton immediately went into the book after the restart for a fairly mild challenge by Championship standards on Dowell. The interruption seemed to spark the Blades into life with ten minutes remaining to half time. A well worked ball from Howson took out three defenders to find Wing who sent a far post cross in that was headed out for a Boro Corner which was delivered by Wing himself but far too close to Henderson. It was now Norwood’s turn to collect a yellow for a challenge on Howson clearly frustrated by him outwitting him moments earlier. Again Wing found Howson who fed Hugill through but he wasn’t alert enough and the ball went wide with the Hammer loanee claiming a corner to spare his blushes. Wing had the ball again and this time was gesticulating for his statuesque team mates to move to receive a pass, frustrated it ended up back with Randolph who launched it hoof style and from the attack Hugill this time actually tested Henderson from long range.

An injury to Baldock saw him limp off with the experienced ex Wolves and Leicester defender Stearman taking his place with a minute left of the first half remaining. A quick break from the Blades saw them send the ball wide of Randolph’s goal after a spell in the second minute of added time. A slow pedestrian break out from Boro got messy in the centre of the pitch and again invited United to break with McGoldrick playing in Billy Sharp narrowly missing the opportunity with the final kick of the half.

A first half that had started steadily saw United have plenty of possession with Boro working their way into it and then dominate the last two thirds of the half but not really carving out any clear threats on goal. The injury to Flint caused a loss of momentum and worked in the Blades favour but with Baldock going off the injury tally and substitutions had balanced out. Wilder will have been the more frustrated at the half time whistle. That very early Duffy shot was probably the nearest we had to a goal in the half that had some measured football but nothing to get excited about. Neither side really looked like they wanted to win.

The second half saw Madine come on for the Blades for Duffy and Chris Wilder upping the stakes by declaring his hand and going to a front three. Shotton set up Dowell to commit an early foul on the right wing but Downing’s free kick was headed clear. Boro had restarted lively in an unconvincing dysfunctional manner with their attacks. There was little quality or joined up moves, just a series of scruffy Boro breaks with the ball seemingly spinning and squirming in their favour. A long Shotton throw saw Friends’ header cleared but then Downing launched an inviting 25 yard ball that caught Henderson and he fumbled it with Hugill closing in but it was hoofed clear by an alert defender.

A nervy penalty claim for a Shotton “tug” on Madine was adjudged to be little contact and certainly not enough for a spot kick but enough to allow Randolph to smother the chance and seconds later Friend had to intercept and nick the ball from Sharp’s toes just before he was about to pull the trigger as Sheffield had now seriously upped the pressure. Things were now getting feisty as Ayala and Madine engaged in an arm wrestle in the Boro box and then Hugill clattered into Fleck who went down like he had been shot. The Home fans were now fired up and getting on the Ref’s back claiming every Boro challenge as a foul and any trip as though it was murder in the first degree.

Inevitably a fast paced ball from McGoldrick left Ayala coming in with a late and rash challenge resulting in a yellow card and a free kick that was hit well over. A corner just a minute later wasn’t cleared and as the ball came back in Sharp poked it past Randolph but the flag went up correctly for off side. A warning shot if one was needed that the Blades were really going for this and Boro needed an outlet as sitting back absorbing this level of pressure wasn’t going to be an option.

With the pressure almost at bursting point the opener came seconds later with a free kick fired into a packed Boro box met by Stearman with his arm around Fry’s neck to head it home. It was coming and Boro only had themselves to blame for not making their first half dominance count. TP responded with Assombalonga being readied but meantime Ayala went lunging in recklessly on Everton loanee Dowell to give the Referee no chance but to issue a second yellow and then the red. Wilder had put three strikers on at half time and went for it and earned his just reward. Saville unluckily came off for Britt in an effort to get back into the game.

Boro were now being tortured and stretched all over and had to somehow stop the flow of the three out and out Strikers and mount attacks of their own with a man short. A Shotton long throw was bizarrely threw short to Howson who struggled with the first attempt and then managed a poor cross that was glanced on and out for a goal kick by Hugill. Seventy two gone and Boro looked absolutely bereft of any ideas with the Blades by far the more likely to get another. Belief and confidence looked to be in short supply for those in blue shirts and then a lucky break saw Wing win the ball and feed Hugill who put Britt through but his angled effort and Boro’s only real one of the night was cleared off Henderson’s legs. A and as the ball came out Fleck chased the ball and as Wing poked it back to Mikel Fleck slid in earning a yellow for the tackle but somehow the Ref then gave United the free kick after a mini ruckus on the touchline.

The game was now getting irritable with tempers a little frayed and ten minutes remaining. VLP then came on for Howson as TP desperately needed to find an outlet of some sort as Hugill was more interested in a scrap and feigning fouls and Britt simply wasn’t getting any supply from anywhere. United now started timewasting keeping Boro boxed in in Shotton’s corner, a break saw Downing get down the opposite flank but the ball was over hit to Hugill and went out harmlessly for a United throw in. With four minutes of normal time remaining Sharp was withdrawn for Paul Coutts as Wilder now went to smother the game. The contrast between Sharp’s contributions and indeed McGoldrick all evening to Hugill’s signified just why we offer very little as an attacking threat.

Four minutes added time went up but there was never any likelihood of Boro scoring as despite a few routine saves they hadn’t really troubled Henderson. Boro looked defeated as soon as the goal went in and then finished by Ayala’s sending off. The Boro subs were totally ineffective, Downing didn’t do half the work that George does down the flanks, Britt was starved and VLP looked an embarrassment. How the Terrier gets in the squad ahead of Tavernier is baffling in the extreme based on that poor showing, it did perhaps go some way to explain why his game time has been limited. It asks a huge question why our highest scoring midfielder can’t even get on Pulis’s bench.

The determined and bold attempt by Wilder by switching to three up front turned the game on its head from the first half where Boro had ended it looking comfortable. Those three Strikers roughed up and upset the Boro defence. The irony was that the goal came from a Pulis style set piece (remember them from August?). A disappointing evening for Boro that culminated with Flint crocked and Ayala now banned and any hopes of an automatic spot all but gone. The only positive tonight was that Derby failed to beat Ipswich and Boro somehow held on to that last Play Off spot on Goal Difference.

MOM for me was JOM for his first half showing, nobody for Boro put in any sort of performance of note at all in the second half. A real test now lies ahead for TP to rally his troops after two successive disappointments. Suspensions and injuries have now ravaged his back line and he will struggle to put out any sort of defence against Blackburn on Sunday. Those on the bench tonight won’t have made his selection dilemma any easier and indeed a few on the pitch didn’t cover themselves in glory either.

Middlesbrough		Leeds United
Wing	47′	Philips	90′ +11
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	31% 9 3 2 11	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	69% 17 4 9 8

Sit back setback

Both sides had something to prove to their fans this afternoon after capitulation had become a byword to describe the last time both of them were in competitive action. I’m not so sure which was the most damaging, losing at Home to your nearest Promotion chasing rivals in the Automatic spots and being knocked off the top of the pile in the process or meekly exiting the FA Cup to a side two leagues below you. Either way both sets of players and managers had been on the receiving end of some scathing criticism over the last few days.

Injuries were a talking point in the build up to the game with Bielsa having the greater problems, one being whether to rush Paddy back quickly from a long layoff after his late scoring feat last weekend off the bench. Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich’s knees were causing them problems while Pablo Hernandez’s groin was receiving treatment, consequently all were suspect in terms of making this one. Gaetano Berardi and Stuart Dallas were both definite long term non-starters. 19-year-old Jamie Shackleton would likely make the Leeds squad with Bielsa claiming he was down to the bare bones. Another youngster Jack Clarke would likely be involved and Izzy Brown on loan from Chelsea was also tipped to make the squad and perhaps his first appearance after he recovered from a knee problem.

Tony Pulis had a full complement at WBA on Saturday but returned from Newport with his squad battered and bruised physically and emotionally and no doubt with a few additional aches and pains after being stuck in a Coach all Tuesday night. Hugill, Assombalonga and Wing were all doubts with Saville’s ankle also being questioned. Lewis Wing had been playing through the pain barrier apparently so would have to be considered doubtful as would Stewart Downing with a poorly contract.

The away end had the largest following all season with 4,500 Leeds Fans making the journey north ensuring the game would be played with an electric atmosphere. It was very noticeable from the North stand that the swathe of Leeds fans in the SE corner was actually bigger than the South Stand contingent a point not unnoticed by Leeds themselves as they opted to change ends when they won the toss. Klich had made the Leeds starting line-up as did Bamford but Forshaw was missing out on a Riverside return. Boro went with the usual three at the back with Shotton on the right and George on the left. JOM was as expected restored to the middle with Wing, Howson and Saville taking up the other berths leaving Hugill up front all on his own.

The game started predictably with Leeds going full out from the off applying pressure and bossing proceedings. This is routine for Bielsa’s sides and it did cause early consternation but Randolph was never seriously troubled despite their domination in the opening twenty minutes. A free kick was easily collected by Randolph, Bamford was always never far from our keeper trying to unsettle him and a break down the left ended with Klich sending his shot well wide of the target. Our midfield at this stage looked to be on the back foot and sitting deep as we struggled to deal with the pace and energy from the early Leeds pressure.

The storm which Leeds had clearly intended to create started to die out a little as energy levels sapped. A few challenges from Wing and Saville started to have an effect on the ease at which the visitors had been breaking forward. Howson also started to get to grips in anticipating some of the slick movements and cutting things out whilst Friend on the opposite side made a few man size early tackles. Shotton looked to be very short on fitness as the diminutive Alioski ran him ragged but also out jumped him on several occasions and sadly as the game went on it didn’t get any better. The sunlight was blinding those sat in the East stand and with Randolph constantly trying to find Shotton out there with his clearances it didn’t help Ryan in trying to find the trajectory of the ball in the full glare of that low winter sun. A burst from George Friend later in the half down the left and a low fired cross across the box was nearly met by Shotton in the first half as he slid in just a split second too late with the Leeds goal at his mercy.

Boro’s first attempt came on the quarter hour mark as Saville took a few touches and delivered a shot which was routinely dealt with by Cassila in the Leeds goal but at least it was on target. Six minutes later and it was Saville again who this time after being fed in by Friend had Cassila pushing the ball out from his left hand corner as Boro were seriously getting into the game having withstood the all-out assault from the Kick Off. A Minute later saw the entire Riverside rise to their feet in a minutes applause for Luke Jobson who lost his life under such tragic circumstances in Yarm two weeks ago with the Leeds fans respectfully joining in the united tribute.

That moment seemed to galvanise Boro and signalled the end of any Leeds domination and on the half hour mark Lewis Wing went close with a daisy cutter which went just wide. A few minutes later Friend went on one of his stumbling, uncoordinated, dribbling runs into the box which ended with a toe poke at the near post which Cassila smothered safely. Just five minutes later and Paddy got on the end of the type of ball we all hoped he wouldn’t from ex Boro loanee Jack Harrison but skewed his shot well wide to the left of Randolph’s upright. The half had now lost a lot of its early visitor induced momentum. Boro had started to get a stranglehold on the game with our progressive midfield coming out well on top of things and indeed bossing the flow of the game. The last bit of first half action saw a poorly hit Saville free kick for a foul on Hugill but it was never going to threaten Cassila’s goal.

So the half ended with honours even and even allowing for the vastly contrasting styles it was a fair reflection with both sets of fans applauding the players off the pitch. Boro came out for the second half unchanged whilst Bielsa removed the youngster Jack Clarke for Hernandez and Referee England got matters under way after a sometimes controversial interpretation of the rules in the first half. Hugill had been punished for several challenges presumably backing in and playing his opponent rather than the ball whilst Alioski had played Shotton all afternoon with zero intent on playing the ball much to the home fans annoyance.

Those officiating annoyances vanished when JOM found George Saville who played in George Friend racing down the left wing and cut the ball back to Lewis Wing who took his chance with a beautifully accurate side foot to break the deadlock putting Boro deservedly 1-0 up with just three minutes of the half gone. The volume suddenly ratcheted up several levels as the home fans finally had something to cheer about and truly get behind at the Riverside seeing their team take the lead. A rendition of “Leeds are falling apart again” was aimed at the large SE contingent who were now extremely quiet having just witnessed Wing’s strike up close and with it hopes of regaining the top spot.

Leeds rallied, tried to get back into it but Ayala and Flint were immense at the back winning everything and giving Bamford no room to operate or influence anything. Howson was running the show on the right side of midfield, JOM was majestic in the middle with Saville scrapping giving no mercy and still driving forward along with Wing and between them causing the Leeds defence all sorts of problems. Hugill was manfully battling but not really getting much joy other than a physical workout with Jansson and Cooper.

A nicely weighted lob for Wing to collect from JOM just wouldn’t come down for Lewis and he was eventually closed down by the time he could try and get his shot off. That effort seemed to be enough to tweak whatever was left of his troubling groin problem as he went down on the turf dejectedly just a minute later. Mo Besic was brought on in his place to replace Lewis who had given his all for the cause and wore his heart on his sleeve all afternoon.

Wing going off however destabilised what had been an excellent Boro engine room up to that point. His absence meant that Leeds came back into this and started to pressure us. George Friend got a boot to a ball that was destined for the net in a six yard box scramble to spare blushes then as Leeds upped the ante Randolph somehow got behind two more close efforts that sent alarm bells ringing.

Since Besic arrived we seemed to be sitting deeper, inviting pressure and struggling to break out. Saville and Howson were still carrying things forward but without Wing linking things up it had lost all semblance of shape. From dominating the middle we now looked susceptible to a Leeds come back with just twenty minutes remaining. Bamford then should have pulled back the deficit when he pounced on a Jansson header that had come back off the post with Randolph stranded but again Paddy spurned his chance putting it wide. Things were now getting very nervous, twitchy and uncomfortable.

Howson set up Besic who broke free and fired in a cross that was too much for Hugill but it looked like George sliding in would put us two up but the chance went begging and Leeds didn’t need a reminder that they needed to get something from this game. This game still had everything to play for and TP made a double sub presumably in an effort to shore things up with Assombalonga coming on for Hugill and Clayts for Saville. A fresh Britt for the tired and jaded Hugill made sense but unless Saville was injured it removed a threat from our Arsenal as Clayts was never going to be an unlikely goal scorer. There were some boos when Clayts came on but they were largely drowned out by applause and cheers with the forlorn hope that the majority of the booing had come from the Leeds corner for their ex player.

The game turned again at that point with the negativity of the decisions to replace both Wing and Saville who had both been excellent, with defensive central midfielders thereby removing both creativity and attacking intent when in reality what we needed was an outlet and support for the lone striker. With Downing or VLP left on the bench I felt an opportunity was being surrendered at the time. With only eight minutes remaining we were getting our heads around our midfield being dismantled and restructured with the instinctively deeper lying players when there was a corner awarded for Leeds that was delayed for a bizarre incident in the Leeds dug out. Initially there were jokes in the North Stand that someone had perhaps nicked Bielsa’s blue bucket but sadly it seemed that as we learned later it was young Jack Clarke who had suffered some sort of incident in the away dug out and had collapsed.

The game was stopped as the Ref waited until the paramedics attended to the young lad and managed to stretcher him off down the tunnel after giving him emergency first aid. That incident clearly affected the concentration of both sides, Boro cleared that initial corner but pressure was building as we were camped in our own half and offering little offensive threat. The clearances and scrappy battles as we stood firm rallied the home crowd and created a sense of unity for the first time in months as we were literally hanging on. The hope was that we looked to be capable of just seeing this out despite the added 12 minutes for the subs and the incident in the dugout.

Boro had a corner headed clear by Jansson and Harrison broke winning a corner which we in turn scrambled clear but the ball then came across to Alioski who brought it down with his arm but ignored by the Ref he drove to the corner of the Boro 18 yard box and fired a low shot which deflected off Howson’s outstretched arm. We had figured that the Ref just concluded that one arm cancelled out the other and as play went Darren England bizarrely brought the game back, awarded Leeds a free kick and yellow carded Howson. Just moments earlier Assombalonga had been “professionally collided” with by the same player who had spent his entire afternoon jumping into Shotton yet awarded us nothing much to the frustration of the home fans and the home bench.

The inevitable equaliser finally came as Shotton managed a tired headed clearance conceding a corner. He limped painfully into position and with everyone piling into the Boro box the ball was glanced back quickly from Cooper who lost his marker Ayala to an unmarked Phillips who headed it in past Randolph and Clayts and Assombalonga who had retreated onto the goal line to send the away fans wild and sink Boro hearts. The game restarted but the whistle went within seconds and those three points suddenly now reduced to one. In balance and in fairness Leeds were worthy of a point but I walked away feeling that if only we had been more positive in our substitutions it could have been a different story. MOM was Howson but had Wing stayed on it may have been a close call and indeed Saville and JOM were also worthy contenders.

A frustrating day but at least a decent game of football tinged with sadness and then concern over Jack Clarke but finished off by the inevitable trouble caused in the Town after the game with hordes of Police chasing around after Football Hooligans.

West Brom		Middlesbrough
Rodriguez Gayle	42′ 63′	Saville Assombalonga	17′ 75′, 83′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	67% 19 6 9 6	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	33% 14 5 1 21

Britt brace throttles Throstles

Today saw the first return of TP to his former stomping ground at the Hawthorns where his departure at the time was greeted with relief from hordes of Baggies fans fed up of struggling and mind numbingly boring football apparently. He brought his Boro side down this afternoon with similar complaints ringing in his ears from the Riverside although in fairness TP’s Boro is a Jekyll and Hyde side when it comes to home form versus their away form. Buoyed by new signings as the window fell shut on Thursday night Darren Moore had a few more options to play with including one allegedly coveted by TP in Jacob Murphy.

This was a six pointer for promotion regardless of it only being early February. Despite all the headlines over the new Baggies arrivals and the relative stoicism surrounding Boro’s inactivity the Birmingham side had lost Harvey Barnes who was recalled by his parent Club Leicester. Those new signings arrived late on Thursday which only allowed a day to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings. The game pitted the Championship’s most swashbuckling attack against the Championship’s meanest defence. The styles could hardly be in greater contrast with both Managers desperate to come out on top if only for old times’ sake, the Sorcerer versus the Sorcerer’s apprentice.

TP seemingly had a fully fit squad to choose from after the Newport Flu epidemic minus the obvious losses of Leadbitter and Batth while Darren Moore had Jake Livermore available after a four game suspension. Ex Boro lad James Morrison and winger Matt Phillips would likely miss out for the Baggies with their ankle injuries.

Two of Albion’s new loanee’s Murphy and Montero made the Baggies bench with Moore making eight changes from his Cup selection against Brighton last weekend. TP went with JOM anchoring the midfield and Hugill getting the nod as this week’s lone striker. Wing, Besic and Saville were the other midfielders. Shotton and Friend were providing the width with Fry, Ayala and Flint the defensive trio.

In a sunny but positively Baltic afternoon West Brom got things underway. The Baggies were happy to retain possession and play the ball around in their own half tempting Boro to play a little further up than perhaps TP would have wanted. The tactical mind games had started already with just a few minutes gone. A quick break from the Home side saw Randolph forced into a great save from Barry towards the bottom corner of his net. A Shotton throw on five minutes was launched near post into the West Brom box but it was cleared and when they broke up the pitch Saville was alert to break up the danger.

Ref Tim Robinson penalised Hugill seemingly reacting to the home fans requests much to the Hammer loanee’s annoyance. Moments earlier the Smethwick End had serenaded their former boss with “Tony Pulis, he’ll send you to sleep”. West Brom were now enjoying a passage of good possession pushing up the pitch and bettering our midfield. A counter attack down our right fell to Besic but after a touch to many to control it he blasted it well over. A Boro break this time started by Wing to Besic led to Friend being adjudged offside much to George’s frustration at the ball being released late to him by the Bosnian.

West Brom had been dominant in the opening quarter hour in terms of having the most of the ball but Boro were breaking and causing problems. Against the run of play an inexcusable sloppy give away from West Brom keeper Sam Johnstone via a weak pass to Gareth Barry gifted the alert Saville with an opportunity too generous to turn down. George “S” politely intercepted and despatched the ball left footed into the bottom corner of Johnstone’s net almost reminiscent of Bamford. Seconds after the restart Dani Ayala then cheekily tried his luck with a speculative effort; confidence was rising with those in Red Shirts to a backdrop of the Home fans grumbling having now been rudely awoken from their slumber by Pulis’s Boro.

Needing to get something back from the game West Brom’s wobble meant that Boro were now getting a bit more joy in the middle with Wing giving Barry no mercy and Saville and Besic looking lively. Mikel behind them looked measured, composed and deliberate. The Baggies were getting agitated, losing possession in the process with Boro looking good value so far. A poignant tribute in the form of “only one Luke Jobson” reverberated from the away end on the 22nd minute to bring a stark reality of just how important this game really wasn’t.

The home fans meanwhile were getting more and more worked up and screaming at Referee Robinson every time a tackle went in and after a series of howling protests against Saville and then Hugill eventually Saville was justifiably booked for clattering into Barry. Besic had been active but had been frustrating as much as he had been lively with some of his decision making suspect (or careless) but he did at least look a threat of some sort and of course West Brom would not have been as familiar with his eccentricities as much as the travelling army.

A free kick awarded to Boro saw Saville deliver it into the Baggie box as the Boro Giants moved up from the back but Ayala headed it the wrong way and ended with Friend getting a stern lecture for having a handful of a Navy blue and White striped piece of fabric. Immediately afterwards West Brom broke and a miss hit Rakeem Harper shot was turned in by Rodriquez at the far post to level things. As the game restarted Jordan Hugill went down theatrically under pressure from Dawson claiming a penalty much to the angst of the home fans who burst into a chorus describing their opinion of Tony Pulis’s style of football which was far from complimentary. The rest of the half was interspersed with a series of “Hoooof” bellowed out every time Boro went forward.

A miss hit Wing free kick caused a bit of consternation in the Baggie box and as it was cleared it came back again from Shotton to be met by Flint but as has been the case for most of the season his finishing was poor and the score line remained 1-1. There were now two added minutes shown on the fourth Officials board as the first half petered out. The opening stages of the half had saw West Brom dominate but apart from Barry’s effort and a well wide Robson-Kanu overhead kick never really looked dangerous. After Saville’s goal Boro looked composed, sitting deep and breaking. The only disappointment in that first half showing was to concede so close to the half time whistle especially when we had just had a great set piece opportunity ourselves to double the advantage but allowed the Baggies back in and cause for renewed optimism.

Half time entertainment was provided by the Baggie Boiler who pranced around in a very strange and disconcerting manner in an effort to sell central heating systems which on the day would have been welcomed by many. No changes from either side as Boro commenced second half proceedings. An early booking for Lewis Wing was the main event of the opening exchanges as TP will have presumably asked for more of the same in the second half. An attack by Boro was ridiculously hauled back by the Ref to award a free Kick to us after Wing was well on his way. A very poor decision by the official but anyway Ayala went up field but perhaps mindful of what had happened at the end of the first half Flint stayed back which was just a as well as West Brom cleared, broke and a Holgate shot went out for a corner after a timely save by Randolph.

A dangerous free kick was awarded for what looked like a harmless challenge as the Ref seemed to be swayed by home advantage. Dwight Gayle took charge of it but it ricocheted off the Boro wall which stood strong despite three interlopers trying to bridge it. The ball came back in needing another block as Rakeem hit his effort into the ground and out for a goal kick. Pulis had rightly seen enough of those opening moments as Howson was readied meanwhile Rodriquez was causing us problems which needed Randolph to again come to our rescue. Besic was then dispossessed then Friend repeated the same offence and as the shrapnel and smoke was clearing Howson was ready and on the touchline as Besic’s number was up.

The Bosnian unfortunately still looked to have that momentary lapse in him and as the intensity was upped by West Brom he looked more of a passenger. Shotton then found himself booked for ridiculously and stupidly wasting time in a very obvious manner. Boro were now under the cosh and the Baggie attacks were becoming relentless. Boro were hanging on blocking valiantly as the pressure mounted with Randolph permanently engaged as Sam Johnstone at the other end was a virtual spectator.

Hegazi hit an effort that was collected by Randolph as West Brom now had their centre backs trying to break the deadlock. So far Boro had offered very little in this half and if they didn’t mount a fight back there was an air of inevitability about when the next Baggie goal would come. A brilliant piece of play between Friend and Wing allowed George to set up Hugill but his shot went wide when a goal would have been a real Baggie balloon burster. That miss was pivotal as Dwight Gayle showed Hugill how to finish seconds later having reacted quickest to a knock down finding the corner of Randolph’s goal via a deflection off a team mate.

Assombalonga was then brought on for Dael Fry as TP went to four at the back with JOM in front and us desperately needing to get back into this contest. Our second half performance was as bad as the first half had been decent. Buzzing with the impetus provided by that Gayle Goal West Brom had their tails in the air and TP had his work cut out to rebut the comments being loudly chanted about his tactical prowess or indeed the total lack of it in the second half.

A short George Saville won corner was adjudged to have been a foul by Ayala as Howson floated a far post ball in for the Spaniard to attack. Going behind meant that Boro were now forced to take this game to West Brom in the full knowledge that they are very capable of scoring goals and plenty of them at that should we slip. In fairness Boro were now imposing themselves a little bit more but it just didn’t look joined up and very much a case of necessity rather than by design.

Since his introduction Britt had been largely anonymous, perhaps because of the novelty of having two strikers to pick out or more likely that the unfamiliar midfield diamond wasn’t working as well as envisaged at that point. To me Boro desperately needed an outlet, a threat, someone to run at the West Brom defence and Britt wasn’t that player. In the absence of Tav on the bench VLP would have been my preference. As if to rub salt in the wounds Jacob Murphy then came on for Robson-Kanu and simultaneously JOM came off for VLP to make that much needed appearance as TP changed shape once again with Wing now taking over from JOM to allow VLP to go wide.

Wing immediately set up an attack and via a Saville lob Hugill held up play feeding Britt with a dink to his right allowing Britt to come in and hit an equaliser on seventy five minutes losing three defenders in the process. As questionable as I felt TP’s substitutions and reshuffle was in an instant it paid dividends to bring things back level again. A West Brom corner then spun out of Randolph’s control going out for another Baggie corner. Gareth Barry then went off and the formidable Livermore came on to meet the corner which flew over everyone’s head with Shotton outmuscling Dawson at the far post to keep the scores level.

Boro were now looking hungry to get back in front as Howson, VLP, Hugill and Britt were all linking up well and asking questions now of the up until then unemployed Baggie defence in the second half. As if to make a point Jacob Murphy fizzed in a delicious cross that fortunately wasn’t met by anyone, then ex Boro lad Chris Brunt came on for Field with the fear of one of those rocket shots in the back of our minds. A Shotton free kick was bent into the box, half cleared by Brunt and bounced in front of Britt who swivelled inside the box and hit a left footed thunderbolt to put Boro three two up after looking down and out on the canvas just minutes earlier.

West Brom tried to get back in with a left footed cross by Brunt booted clear by Ayala as Flint assisted in the clearance with the game entering the final five minutes. TP was now literally “boinging” up and down in the Technical area screaming at his defenders to close down quicker. A Brunt cross was blocked by Shotton which broke to VLP who chased forward to feed Britt who generously played in Hugill when he perhaps should have shot himself and the opportunity ended disappointingly. West Brom were still pushing to get something and there was a definite danger of a late equaliser. Red shirts were battling bravely with Wing looking like a Terrier in front of his back line.

Incredibly the fourth official had found five minutes of added time and as Dawson met a Brunt cross Shotton again was there to clear the danger. A Shotton block then went out for a corner which led to a Brunt back post ball coming in and a series of bodies flying everywhere in the Boro box saw Aden Flint down holding his head as Randolph now saved from Dawson. A drop ball was hoofed by Shotton but West Brom picked up the loose ball and again came down the flank, crossed in by Murphy and Ayala had us all checking our undergarments as he went to ground hearts in mouth style to win a tackle then it was Randolph’s turn to uncharacteristically flap and cause more anxiety. As Randolph cleared the ball downfield six minutes added time had now been played with the Travelling Army frantically whistling. As we entered the seventh minute Referee Robinson seemingly reluctantly blew his whistle to a chorus of jeers and boos from the home fans as TP fist pumped the Boro fans in a victory that was a massive win and of course one which brought a fair dollop of personal satisfaction.

In Typical Britt style he looked languid and slow at times when he came on but then he has that incredible knack of scoring and not just once but twice. Wing was as ever magnificent, Saville had another good game, Shotton was rock solid in his duties and Friend and Ayala battled away but the scene stealer was Britt Assombalonga who has to be the MOM for launching Boro back level on points with West Brom instead of facing a six point gap. More importantly perhaps was maintaining a three point gap between us and the chasing pack of Bristol and Derby. For a neutral the game swayed and changed, twisted and turned but despite the Baggies dominance in the possession stats it was boring Tony Pulis and his sides three goals who had the widest smile. Perhaps Boro hanging on to Britt in the window was a shrewd bit of business after all for all concerned.

Middlesbrough		Newport County
Ayala	51′	Dolan	90’+3
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	58% 19 4 6 13	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	41% 17 5 5 9

Exiled Dolan delivers bitter Pill

The battle of the bridges as it had been christened commenced this afternoon at a half empty Riverside. There was a good and vociferous following from South Wales to add atmosphere which came as a welcome break from the Championship after the Millwall stalemate with the emphasis then very much on stale!

Michael Flynn brought his giant killers up North to hopefully add another scalp to their Cup Run after their 2-1 victory over Leicester and with it end the cup hopes of one of their own. The long suffering home fans at the Riverside were hoping for a repeat of the Peterborough second half performance (we have long given up any hope of a full on 90m minute performance from this side) and with it the opportunity to be in Monday night’s draw.

The “Exiles” had a few injury problems and were without defender Fraser Franks and club captain Andrew Crofts along with ex Boro lad Matty Dolan being rated very doubtful. For Boro we were hoping that Shotton may get some game time in his road to recovery because poor Dael needed a break from being shoehorned into RB. Flint also was seemingly back to fitness so the likelihood is he would get a start as would a few others like Fletcher who would be keen to show their talent and give TP something to think about before the transfer window slams shut.

TP made six changes but still put out a strong side with Mikel making his debut, Shotton returned from injury and the contract conflicted Downing also started. Wing and Saville were in a more advanced “attacking” midfield role with Fletcher getting a start along with Assombalonga. The Boro bench also looked seriously strong with Clayts, Hugill, VLP and Tavernier. Matty Dolan was deemed fit enough for a place on the visitor’s bench upon his return to the Riverside. Exiles goalkeeper Joe Day missed the game to be at his wife’s side who was expecting twins.

Newport kicked off on a blustery but unseasonably mild afternoon at the Riverside with temperatures nudging double figures under grey Teesside skies. Mikel was as suspected in the Clayton role as the first early chance fell to Newport was blazed over Randolph’s crossbar in the opening minutes. Newport clearly came to have a go and the opening five minutes were all Newport applying pressure as once again Boro had started at home in second gear.

With Downing right and Fletcher out left Boro started to show some composure and passed the ball around teasing the Newport defence trying to entice them out. A Shotton long throw into the box ended when the attempt was adjudged to have been a foul on Townsend in the County goal who looked edgy. Our first serious attempt came from Britt who hit a curled effort that unfortunately didn’t curl but instead went well wide on 12 minutes when Fletcher was screaming for it to be laid off for him in the “D”. On 15 minutes Britt was played in via a Wing cut back from the flank and this time left footed he tried to curl it into the opposite corner as Boro now started to control the game.

Downing was then blatantly hauled back around the neck by Butler who incredibly escaped a yellow card. Lewis Wing launched a brilliant resulting free kick straight to Flint’s head who disappointingly headed unopposed over the bar. Dan Butler was again involved on 20 minutes meeting a Willmott corner via Semenyo which was charged down by Friend from ten yards out. The next minute was all a series of crosses into the Boro box causing some drastic action in defending from Ayala and a poor Randolph punch clearing. Boro broke with Wing and Downing but Stewy’s shot was deflected to the far side of the Newport box where Saville chased and was very unlucky to not get a free kick. As poor as that Officiating decision was an even worse one was to follow seconds later with Friend adjudged to have fouled Poole after a seemingly innocuous header on the Newport penalty spot.

A cheeky Saville “drag back” tackle regained possession and set up Wing who dinked the ball just over the County Crossbar from 19 yards out. Semenyo then should have put Newport ahead after he pounced on a through ball cut out by Flint but fortunately for us the Newport striker blasted well over. Another strange Refereeing decision saw a free kick awarded to Britt who had looked suspiciously offside much to the annoyance of Flynn in the visitor’s technical area. Wing then hit the free kick which came straight back at him off the wall but then cleared the same wall as his follow up effort dropped onto the crossbar leaving Townsend beaten.

A Newport corner was cleared but came straight back into the Boro box and a series of less than impressive clearances was eventually saved by Randolph’s feet from Padraig Amond. Jamille Matt went down a few minutes later requiring some treatment which allowed for a water break and a tactical update from both benches with about 8 minutes of the half remaining. A brilliant piece of skill from Smenenyo saw Matt blast wide. Willmott was causing us problems down our left flank and some low key rumbles of frustration were audible from the home fans. Friend then made amends by driving down the same flank and putting a dangerous low cross into the Newport box which was deflected clear.

A last minute corner was delivered in by Wing but Ayala was a little late in connecting and the ball cleared the far side of the Newport goalmouth. Two minutes added time was held up and apart from a late over hit cross from Boro the half then petered out disappointingly as rain now started to drizzle down. Newport were good value for the half time 0-0 score line but Boro just didn’t look like they were capable of taking this team apart despite the chasm in League placings. Wing looked to be our best and most likely to score player, Stewy had been involved in a lot of attacks, Saville was lively but we just lacked creativity. Fletcher hadn’t taken his chance out on the left and the suspicion was that he may be at risk of being hooked in the second half.

Boro kicked off the second half and Nick Townsend was very fortunate to be awarded yet another poor refereeing decision where an imaginary foul by Britt saved his blushes as he came out too far and flailed at waist height. A quick Wing free kick on the half way line found Fletcher who alert, read it well, cut it back to Britt whose shot was parried away for a corner. A second quick follow up corner was lofted onto Ayala’s head on the six yard box beating Demetriou to put Boro one up. Just after the restart Fletcher upended a Willmott in an effort to prevent them breaking and collected a yellow card for his troubles. A close range Matt header from the next passage of play after the free kick was easily collected by Randolph.

A 50/50 challenge saw Mikel and Butler collide with Butler coming off the worse for wear. Fletcher tried to play Friend in near the goal line but his touch was too much and George was never going to catch it as Fletcher had now upped his game since the restart. In another eccentric Refereeing decision Saville was spoken to after Wilmott caught the underside of the Northern Irishman’s boot. A Shotton cross was then put out for a corner and Downing’s delivery was cleared out but only for Wing to crack in a 35 yarder that went out for another corner. Again it was cleared and this time it was cracked back in by Saville only for Fletcher to be adjudged offside in the six yard box.

The action paused there on 61 minutes as Mikel went off for Clayton to come on after a sensible, calming and measured rather than a spectacular debut. The rain now started coming down heavily as Boro took their foot off the gas, sitting back with Newport now having to find something to trouble Randolph. Boro then had a few half chances without really looking like adding to their solitary goal. A poor decision by Clayton saw him dwell too long and having to be rescued by Ayala in an almost carbon copy of his Millwall error.

The game had now entered a meaningless almost neutral spell with Boro content to allow Newport to commit themselves chasing the game. A clever back heel by Britt was played back in to him but his shot ended up near the opposite touch line as Wing chasing rescued the throw in. Antoine Semenyo beat Shotton and played the ball out to the opposite flank and Willmottt again sent in a good cross to be met by Matt who had apparently and questionably fouled Shotton in his efforts to head in an equaliser. This was a warning to Boro that they needed to seriously up their game from their timid possession and probing game and is if to rectify that Lewis Wing hit a 35 yarder that was pushed back out by Townsend but fortunately for Newport it fell to the offside Assombalonga on 72 minutes.

McNair then came on for Shotton as he had hopefully eased himself back to fitness. Paddy was soon in the thick of it with a headed clearance which came back in for Ayala to repeat the feat and get the ball a little further up the field. Wing repaid Saville’s first half tackle that set him up in the first half with Saville’s resultant deflected strike being pushed clear by Townsend. A Willmott cross was deflected off George Friend for a corner which then allowed Flynn to make the first of a couple of Subs with Joss Labadie replacing Tyreeq Bakinson. The cleverly worked corner allowed Semenyo a header which went just wide. The second Sub by Flynn was then made with Amond going off for Sheehan and for Boro Tavernier coming on for Fletcher to add a little more creativity and pace with just over ten minutes of normal time remaining. A blocking tackle by McNair stopped a Newport onslaught in its tracks then linked up with a series of one twos with Wing who played him in as he cut inside shooting from twenty five yards out but his effort went meekly wide.

A Newport throw in almost level with the Boro 18 yard box saw some impressive skill again from Semenyo who dribbled through an anxious Boro defence careful not to upend him where the ball was then crossed to the opposite side of the Boro six yard box to be headed back across by Butler for Semenyo to equalise except he incredibly blasted it over from 6 yards. Matty Dolan then came on for Demetriou with three minutes remaining. Jamille Matt then had a chance which needed Flint and Randolph to clear conceding a corner which was cleared by McNair allowing Tav to break but back again came the lads from South Wales as they pressed for a deserved equaliser. An Ayala headed clearance was lighted upon and taken down the pitch by Britt who then went down cheaply claiming a foul which was ignored. Again Newport pressed relentlessly and yet another cross aimed at Semenyo was fortunately over hit.

Into the four added minutes the telegraphed inevitable “Typical Boro” moment happened with the last cross of the game and Matty Dolan tapping in from four yards out. Boro then ended the match with a despondent Clayton knocking the ball out too far ahead of Friend for a throw in. The final whistle went before that throw could be taken in what had been a spirited and well-earned draw from Newport. A poor second half showing after the goal had given Boro a misplaced sense of security and once again a negative deep sitting display proved their undoing. Predictable failure to deal with late Newport attacks meant that the overwhelming fear that eventually they would be rewarded came to fruition. Mikel’s understandable departure along with Shotton coincided with handing over the initiative to Newport and turned the game. Tavernier was poor when he came on and neither attacked nor defended for his short cameo run out which didn’t help a side that was in dire need of an injection of something at the sharp end.

MOM for Boro was Wing but a draw was the last result Boro needed as they now face a trip to South Wales sandwiched in between a challenging run of Championship fixtures. A strong Boro side should have blown their weaker opponents away but once again the familiar home frailties came to the fore by sitting deep and offering no credible attacking threat in open play apart from Wing having pot shots from distance and set pieces. A final word of congratulations goes to Michael Flynn and his side as they came to attack play football and were full value for the draw and indeed unlucky not to have put away some of their other gilt edged chances.

Middlesbrough		Millwall
Hugill	90′ (pen)	Wallace	22′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	59% 16 3 8 13	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	41% 7 3 4 10

Lions versus Pulis Pussycats

Today saw the Boro back at the Riverside in Championship action for the first time in a few weeks to face Neil Harris’s Millwall who before kick off this afternoon were 20th in the table, precariously just five points above the relegation spots and having earned just six points on their travels this season.

After a credible draw at Derby and a battling away win at Birmingham Boro on paper at least appeared to be too strong for Millwall so a convincing home win was the expectations on Teesside. Millwall however have been fighting to survive and have no intentions of going down having won three of their last five Championship games.

The reverse of this fixture on the opening day down at the Den saw Boro steal a very unlikely 2-2 draw after Wing and Tav came on to turn the tide in what had been an abject Boro outing. The South Londoners do seem to struggle against us and hadn’t managed a clean sheet in any of our previous 12 encounters in the Championship. To make matters more interesting Millwall have a very poor habit of conceding very late goals in the dying minutes of games so a word of caution to those who like to get to their cars and away early from the Riverside.

In his pre match press conference TP had announced that Flint and Shotton were just back in training so unlikely to be available while Neil Harris would likely be without strikers Aiden O’Brien and 6’4” Tom Elliott for this one. George Saville of course is the one who will be attracting the most attention as he faced his ex-employers who are now several million to the good since his departure. Ben Marshall had also returned to Millwall on loan from Norwich this week where he enjoyed a similar stint last season out on the wing when they went on a 17 game unbeaten run.

The Boro Team selection at 2.03pm was met with a series of murmurs, rumbles and a sense of underwhelming predictability in the queue for the bar. Apart from Lewis Wing there was no pace, no energy, no width, no drive, no creativity, no support to a lone Striker and no highest scoring midfielder in Tavernier. Unfortunately that mood permeated the Stadium in what was as flat an atmosphere as you could imagine.

The home fans settled down trying to get some warmth in a cold dark miserable grey day on Teesside. Millwall had turned up wearing grey themselves as if to add to the gloomy mood which was made a lot worse when they deservedly scored after a midfield error on twenty five minutes to open the scoring. Randolph had saved Boro’s blushes just minutes earlier saving from Gregory at close range with the Millwall Strikers shot leaving a very painful impression indeed. It was however to be the only example of “balls” Boro showed all afternoon.

You may wonder why I haven’t gone through the action for those opening twenty five minutes but in truth there wasn’t any, seriously there wasn’t, absolutely nothing at all what so almost-driven-to-swearing ever. Our muddled midfield stifled the life out of anything remotely looking like a sporting contest. Howson was wide right but on another planet to Dael Fry who endured a tortuous opening twenty minutes being turned and twisted inside out with Ayala having to abandon his central role to spare his blushes as Howson just looked on motionless and lost. On the opposite flank George Friend was battling but again outnumbered two versus one as George Saville looked like he still thought he was a Millwall player. Actually that’s a tad unkind as based on today’s performance Saville wouldn’t have got a sniff at starting in that side as he was outplayed, outfought and outclassed for 90 minutes.

Wing tried to do something but there was no movement, nobody to pick out so all he could do was try and recycle the ball which was seemingly the only tactic that Tony Pulis had managed to get across to his players. Besic was dicky dancing his way in circles as he does, hanging onto the ball for too long only to release it last minute but not with a telling pass or a slide rule defence splitter just more sideways and backwards monotony. Was it the worst Boro performance at the Riverside? Possibly not but at this moment I can’t recall feeling more deflated, fed up and completely totally and utterly disinterested in the morose boring inept tactical cock-up unfolding out on the pitch. It was mind numbingly boring, pointless and our first 45 minutes looked like an over 50’s walking football match but without as much effort, pace or movement and certainly lacking the intensity of an over 50’s game.

Randolph done all that was asked of him, Ayala battled, Batth was reasonable as was George, poor Dael Fry isn’t a right-back but the rest of the side with the possible exception of Wing was so rank bad that health officials should have put a warning notice on it. The booing, jeering and whistling from the home fans seemed to strike a chord as every backwards pass was met with derision. That was the only time in the first half that Boro actually looked to get their heckles up and put some effort in and a long range Wing shot went across the dubious and very dodgy looking Archer’s goal missing the far upright by about a foot.

Hugill battled in vain as he was punched, elbowed, manhandled, grabbed and generally pushed to the floor and bullied which was totally ignored by the Referee Stroud who seemed so biased that if I was an FA official I’d be tempted to search his bins for brown envelopes next week. Every single tackle from Boro was penalised but every head butt, elbow, and crunching challenge from Millwall was adjudged to be fair game. As bad as the man in the middle’s performance was it was still overshadowed by the dross Pulis put us through. Five minutes before the interval Archer pulled off a good save from Howson who should have done better but that’s what happens when Pulis sticks with his favoured virgin midfielders but it did at least count as an attempt on target.

The half time whistle went to a chorus of boos which was probably more than the Players deserved as they weren’t actually that good that it was worth the effort to boo or jeer. Our home form has been poor all season because Pulis adapts his successful away tactics at home and it has failed miserably all season at the Riverside yet despite his advancing years seems to be unable to learn a lesson. His team selection and tactics today were akin to a Prince Phillip driving lesson only minus the thrills and spills but with the inevitable consequences.

We were expecting a serious reshuffle and a few changes at half time after the debacle we had just witnessed but we only saw Clayts hauled off and VLP coming on which was little bit more positive but one positive player in a sea of nauseating dross wasn’t going to cut it and of course Tavernier wasn’t even in the squad for fear he might actually score or create a goal and in doing so ruin Pulis’s justifications of continually picking Besic and his extravagant signing Saville. VLP did look like a breath of fresh air, dribbled and ran at Millwall which was the only positive note in the day’s proceedings. How that was going to turn the tide I don’t know because as good as he was the side was completely disjointed and our midfield and right flank just slowed the pace down and played balls that were read in last weeks newspapers.

There was more chance of Theresa May getting an agreement on Brexit than there was of Boro offering any form of entertainment or indeed scoring for that matter. There were some isolated chants of “we want Pulis out” in the North Stand which didn’t get picked up on but it’s only a matter of time if he continues with these emasculating home tactics. History had repeated itself this afternoon and Pulis’s opening day “no show” away at the Den was incompetently repeated in the worst possible Groundhog Day scenario.

VLP was making runs and earning free kicks and even a yellow card being awarded to the visitors as he unleashed a bagful of tricks to brighten up what was the footballing epitome of an Edinburgh Funeral. Boro were at least now offering some sort of attacking intent albeit a one man show from VLP and a mix of walking Football elsewhere. Even TP must have been bored by what he had self-inflicted as he brought on Britt for Howson clearly blind to the fact that he had zero outlet or creativity on the pitch apart from VLP.

Most of us were at the point of past caring as the Riverside atmosphere had now descended into something reminiscent of Monastic silence which reminded me of something from my long gone schooldays: “I was silent and still; I held my peace to no avail; my distress grew worse, my heart became hot within me. While I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue” (Psalm 39: 3).

I must admit to having to google that one when I got back home as the years have dimmed my exact recollection of the accurate wording but it was pretty darn accurate for what I had just experienced. Unfortunately the bit about “then I spoke with my tongue” cannot be printed on here due to the extreme likelihood of it causing offence although it paled into insignificance compared to the spineless, gutless and soul destroying refuse that was served up by Pulis today. Two ancient Anglo Saxon words summed my feelings up and those around me towards that team selection and the abject monotony that was masquerading as Football.

With twenty minutes remaining Downing was brought on as yet another penny slowly dropped with our master tactician in the dugout that just maybe the complete lack of width and service from the right was finally addressed. I must admit to finding it incredible that none of Woodgate, Fleming, Ellis or even Pulis himself can recognise the nauseating stench of decay and the seeping away of support and with it the sapping of any and all enthusiasm hence playing in the “Riverside Mausoleum” of their own making.

In the dying seconds as is Millwall’s incredible want this season Morison gave away a stupid penalty by recklessly pushing Ayala in a safe zone in the box. Hugill sent Archer the wrong way with the resultant penalty. I will confess to screaming “to his left”, Archer seemingly heard and duly obliged Hugill who put it to his right. 1-1. Millwall were robbed and Pulis got a point when he weakly and negatively threw away all three before even a ball was kicked.

MOM was Randolph and then VLP in the second half but who cares because having to sit through that farcical, incoherent steaming mess of a team selection had me considering a season ticket for Roseberry Park (or St. Lukes to most of us on here) rather than returning to the Riverside any time soon. So to summarise Millwall had some balls, put up a decent and credible show and were robbed at the end after thoroughly deserving all three points. In between Boro passed it sideways, backwards and sideways again, nobody made any runs off the ball to drag defenders wide or create anything other than offer a modern alternative to Mogadon. Next season I suggest that Steve Gibson offers a free Nitrazepam tablet instead of a free pint. This wasn’t negative football in the Karanka sense this was worse, much worse this was hard core garbage.

Birmingham City		Middlesbrough
Wilson	79′	Wing Assombalonga	37′ 82′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	59% 15 4 2 11	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	41% 8 5 4 11

Britt’s Wing Man breaks down Brum

As has been the case a few times of late Boro travelled to St. Andrews to face yet another of their former Managers. Monk’s cash strapped and impoverished Birmingham is in stark contrast to his Boro excesses but have been punching above their weight all season yet show no signs of falling away. His partnership with Clotet seems to be of the Clough and Taylor variety, together good but separately questionable. To get a squad like Birmingham’s challenging for the Play Offs when they were relegation certainties when he joined is great credit to GM.

Boro would be facing another old boy in Jutkiewicz and also two former coveted targets in Maghoma and Jota out on their flanks. Garry Monk would definitely be without David Davis and Omar Bogle but Kristian Pedersen was available after an ankle injury. Flint’s Hamstring and Shotton’s knee were the main selection headaches for TP and there were still lingering doubts over the fitness of Ayala which could determine whether we went with a back three or conventional back four.

Birmingham hadn’t scored in their last three games against Boro having lost all of them whilst interestingly TP had also won his last three games against the Blues. Boro hadn’t lost in their last four visits to St. Andrews giving the game a sense of nervy “inevitability” for Boro fans pre kick off compounded by the fact that Birmingham had only lost one of their last eighteen home Championship games.

Team news saw that Ayala’s mystery “knock” was deemed not serious enough and able to start alongside Batth (in for Flint) with Fry and Friend also lining up. Wing got a berth in midfield with Howson, Besic and Saville; Clayts presumably would be the protector in front of the back line. Up front was Hugill on his own and new boy VLP was on the bench along with Downing, Tav, Britt, McNair and Fletcher which gave TP attacking options should things go pear shaped. Monk went with his usual starting eleven due mainly to limited resources rather than tactical wizardry with Juke leading the line with Evans.

Boro got proceedings under way as the game saw a steady start from Boro. Not much to get excited about at either end with the biggest cause of angst caused by Jutkiewicz getting free from Clayts who redeemed himself. On eight minutes Wing won a corner taken by Saville which saw a few Boro attempts from Fry and Hugill but the Blues cleared their lines. The ball was being routinely processed up and down the pitch with Maghoma and Jota busy for the Blues but nothing to really threaten either Keeper with quarter of an hour now gone. Batth had to intervene to keep Jutkiewicz at bay as Birmingham nearly prised open the Boro defence. Birmingham then had a series of attempts to get the ball into the Boro box as the home side suddenly increased the tempo and Ayala was forced to cut out danger from Maghoma.

Boro broke next with Ayala clearing his lines and finding Saville in the box with a trademark “Pulis Hoof” who played in Hugill with a nodded downwards header who spectacularly sliced, missing Lee Camp’s goal and was rewarded for his ludicrous error by being metaphorically wiped out by Tony Pulis in the body of Harlee Dean seconds later. Batth conceded a free kick as Ref Graham Scott whistled for an infringement just outside the Boro eighteen yard box which Jota lined up to hit which fortunately went over Randolph’s goal. Lewis Wing responded for Boro by playing in Hugill for our best chance of the game but the West Ham loanee was just behind it and couldn’t get enough on it.

Once again seconds later Hugill was clattered into again this time Morrison leaving Hugill on the deck much to Friends chagrin with the Ref. Boro were having the better of the game now as increasingly the Blues were resorting to roughing up our lone striker. The more niggly they got the more the Red shirts increased their hold on the game. Besic was next to earn a Boro free kick resulting in a yellow card for Kieftenbeld as the home fans started to vent frustrations claiming Boro were making the most of the home sides robust challenges.

A melee in the Blues box saw a few shots that saw Hugill “score” but the Ref denied that it crossed the line despite agonising protests from the Boro camp and the 1,300 travelling army. Again Boro came forward as we could sense nervousness in the Birmingham defence with Saville winning the ball but hacked at (albeit him lying on top of it) with the Ref awarding another Boro free kick and hostilities towards the Official this time from the home fans intensifying Things were now heating up with Boro now looking by far the livelier as Birmingham were looking more and more shall we say looking “resolute”.

With Birmingham now well and truly rocking and both Wing and Saville were enjoying a positive role supporting Hugill. It was an unfamiliar Lewis Wing red boot that met the end of a low Dael Fry cross with a left footed shot sliding in at the far side of the box which had probably fortuitously eluded Saville on its trajectory to put Boro deservedly one goal up on thirty seven minutes. George (Saville) paid a price for his efforts during that build up and was left flat on his back but recovered after some treatment.

Birmingham clearing their heads and got back on the front foot by earning a free kick out wide Jota delivered the set piece towards Morrison which was met initially by Friend but with the ball returning straight back it was met by Ayala and then eventually cleared away by Fry. Batth felt the force of Juke as Friend was also simultaneously battered by Adams giving Boro a deserved free kick and crucially time to take the sting out of this mini Birmingham revival.

A high kick from Ayala on Jutkiewicz had the home fans howling yet again but we breathed a sigh of relief as Graham Scott was seemingly content to just get on with things. Friend then was called into action again blocking an effort then the follow up from Gary Gardiner was hit from distance but never really troubled Randolph as it went out for a goal kick. The first half petered out and Boro went in with a deserved lead and a performance which was uplifting after some very dour efforts of late. Hugill had a few chances and probably should have netted at least one, Saville looked more like a three million pound midfielder as oppose to a three hundred thousand pound midfielder of late as he progressed in the right direction towards his price tag. Wingy was simply, Wingy, except that he had left his black boots back on Teesside but not to worry as those Red ones seemed to be working just as well.

No changes for Boro at half time, Birmingham got the second half under way with ex Makem and Villain Craig Gardiner coming on in place of his younger brother Gary as they started attacking immediately needing an alert George Fiend being equal to their early assault. A lame penalty claim went up from the home fans but was ignored by Graham Scott as the game had recommenced a little scrappy in the opening stages of the half which probably suited Boro more than the Blues. Boro were getting balls quickly out of defence and stretching the Birmingham defence as we were unusually getting bodies into the box and looking good for a second goal with ten minutes of the second half gone.

The game then turned as Boro sat deeper and another penalty claim from Adams who done Ayala and then slid in on Adams but fortunately the Ref adjudged it to be a dive in the box which looked harsh from a Blue perspective. Lewis Wing was then bizarrely booked after a hefty Kieftenbeld challenge presumably for something that he said to the Ref. Birmingham were in the ascendency and now racking up the pressure, looking dangerous with Jota and Maghoma suddenly coming to life again after a very quiet end to the first half.

The game was ticking towards sixty minutes with Boro getting a throw in and taking their time to take the sting out of things and try and regroup. Birmingham were not giving up and were coming back at Boro. The lively Che Adams was attacking down on the left hand side and Danny Batth was adjudged to have fouled him giving Jota a chance to float the ball once again into Randolph’s box. It came in towards the back post and somehow Halree Dean missed the chance when it looked easier to score by hitting the bottom of the upright.

The game had now swung around completely, from Boro finishing the first half looking clever and comfortable now suddenly having to keep things tight at the back, keeping out repeated Blues onslaughts. Hugill was caught late by Dean much to the annoyance of the Boro bench in an attempt to nick the ball away from Jordan who was now looking slightly jaded as he had ran himself into the ground selflessly chasing and harrying the two Birmingham Centre Backs all afternoon. An Adams cross was met by Jutkiewicz but under pressure from Fry it was collected by Randolph.

A Kieftenbeld attempt was given as a hand ball off Saville, dead centre about five yards out from the “D” of the Boro box , nerves jangled as Jutkiewicz hit the ball low with Randolph scrambling to get down to it with the effervescent Adams closing in. Another swift Blues movement with Jota and Adams ended with a goal kick thankfully for Boro which was the time for TP to make a double substitution with Downing coming on for Besic and Britt on for Hugill. Stewy went out wide taking over from Saville as Saville then filled in for Besic. Almost immediately a Lewis Wing ball to Downing ended up with a corner which was contested by Wing and Batth but cleared out to Adams who held it up but Boro thankfully had got back in numbers.

A ball floated in to Gardiner was deflected off George Friend as Birmingham continued to knock on Boro’s door and looking very much like they were going to get something out of this game. Boro were now throwing bodies on the line defending and hacking clear as Paddy McNair was being readied. We were dropping deeper and Maghoma was starting to get plenty of joy, getting in behind Fry causing problems. The earlier substitutions from Pulis had no effect on changing the tide of the game thus far. The inevitable then happened with ten minutes remaining as Che Evans after a one two with Jutkiewicz levelled for the Blues. I have to say in all fairness that Evans deserved his goal for his work rate alone as disappointing as it was.

Monk then brought on Striker Vassell for Kieftenbeld as they now went for it seeing Boro on the ropes. Two minutes later and totally against the run of play Lewis Wing played a sublime, perfectly weighted ball from the half way line up to Assombalonga, splitting both the Birmingham defenders. Britt ran through on goal, picked his spot and with a cool left footed chip broke the St. Andrews hearts leaving Camp helpless. He cheekily nearly added another after the restart but that would have been too much to ask for under the circumstances. Meanwhile McNair was still warming up.

A rampaging George Friend out wide supported Assombalonga on the left leading to a corner. Delivered in from Wing it was cleared out as the game was now suddenly toing and froing dangerously. Wing then made way for McNair who was immediately put under pressure as Maghoma fired in a sweet shot rattling Randolph with just a few minutes of normal time remaining. The fourth Official held up his board indicating four minutes of added time as Boro were now holding on to what they had requiring Assombalonga to scrap and battle up front trying to hold things up. A long range Morrison effort deflected off Saville for a late corner that was fizzed in by Jota that was always going out for a throw in. Dael Fry was “hastened” by Ref Graham Scott to get a move on with the resultant throw as Boro were understandably in no hurry to get things moving.

In the dying seconds a series of Birmingham launched balls into the Boro box were cleared, played back in, cleared again until eventually going out for a goal kick. Randolph was urged to speed up with the kick from Graham Scott which eventually went up to Britt who controlled it and that longed for final whistle went, “phew” and breathe again!

Today was always going to be a tough game, away to a side that had only lost once at home this season and who will reasonably feel hard done to. A game which started dull increased in Boro tempo, deservedly going ahead. The arrival of Craig Gardiner changed the make-up of the second half with Boro initially starting the half confidently then literally clinging on just before and after the Evans equaliser. Out of the blue Wingy again produced a piece of magic to set Britt free to bring home the points totally against the run of play. Throughout the game there was great defending from Ayala and Batth. Fry and Friend done their bit at both ends, Wingy was superb as was Hugill’s battling (or battering despite his glaring miss). Britt started quietly once coming on but then started to cause problems and deserved his winner. Saville had a great first half albeit faded a little in the second or perhaps stood firm depending on your view point and what TP was asking of him. MOM had to be Wing, there were some good performances from those in Red but when the extra magic was needed Wingy was there!

Middlesbrough		Peterborough United
Assombalonga Friend Wing Fletcher	47′, 70′ 50′ 62′ 87′
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	64% 10 7 2 19	Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls	36% 9 1 3 3

Five star Posh pushover

The Posh travelled up the A1 to the Riverside for the first FA Cup meeting between the two sides in forty-four years. Today’s visitors had an impressive record in the competition having scored in all of their previous 18 FA Cup ties. In fact this time last season they went to Aston Villa and thumped the Villains 3-1 so this tie was going to be a close affair with zero room for complacency from a Boro perspective.

Disappointing for me but perhaps good news for Boro was that Marcus Maddison would be suspended for this one as I was looking forward to seeing the lad. Steve Evans had new signings Danny Lafferty and Ben White starting in defence alongside returning Ryan Tafazolli for the Posh with ex Boro lad Callum Cooke on the bench. Tony Pulis had a few absentees with Ayala, Flint and Shotton all supposedly out injured. TP had already announced yesterday that youngest ever Boro player 16 year old Nathan Wood and 40 year old Dimi would likely be starting and in doing so taking the oldest player record to represent the club away from Robbo. New loanee VLP was expected to get some game time to build up his match fitness in what would be an unfamiliar Boro line-up.

The Boro line-up as anticipated was an unfamiliar one made all the more confusing by Pulis playing three Strikers! Yes that right THREE STRIKERS! Gestede, Assombalonga and Fletcher, all £27M of them along with Tav and VLP in the starting line-up. Nathan Wood was on the bench with McNair, Fry, Ayala (unexpectedly fit again) and Friend as a back four or even three depending on how we line up and who played where. Grant made up the starting eleven with the Greek God in goal. Apart from Lonergan and Clayts the bench had a very youthful look to it with Spence, Wing, Chapman and Walker alongside Wood.

Posh kicked off as Boro lined up with three at the back with Fry, Ayala and Friend. The earliest chance came to McNair on five minutes hitting a scuffed shot wide of O’Malley’s goal from the edge of the box after a Fry cross. At the other end a cross from Peterborough was left by Friend and Dimi but Toney advancing for Posh fortunately wasn’t alert to the chance. A really good corner taken from VLP saw Friend almost reach a far post header that had been accurately lofted over the entire Peterborough box. The game was open and entertaining without being really competitive at this stage and along with a sparsely populated Riverside had a pre-season friendly feel to it as the game approached the quarter-hour mark. On the positive Boro (Middles not Peter) looked comfortable.

Tav out on the left had tried a couple of dribbles at Ward but the Posh defender read his intentions and timed his tackle to perfection. McNair went on a mazy run and in the end ran out of oxygen or nerve as the Posh defence parted in front of him he then slipped with the goal at his mercy just about on the penalty spot. Twenty minutes had passed and Peterborough hadn’t seriously threatened but there was always the worry that a Typical Boro moment might allow them in. Ward took a long throw into the Boro box and as it was cleared out Ward this time launched a cross back in, which was then cleared to Dembele, who fired in a shot that went inches past Dimi’s right hand post. It was the nearest effort so far as the clock approached 25 minutes and a wake-up call to those in red.

A clever bit of play from VLP on the left earned a corner which he took himself but Ayala couldn’t get a clean header on it. Peterborough responded with an inswinging free kick that was glanced over by Dembele as they had settled more into the game. Tav broke free and beat two men to advance down the left but was wiped out by White, who collected a yellow for his troubles. The resultant free kick was played into the box but Boro’s attack looked disjointed with nobody taking responsibility. Posh passed the ball out of defence and went up through the gears and down the other end of the pitch, carving Boro (Middles) open with far too much ease and should have scored but Toney inexplicably put his shot over the bar with Dimi at his mercy. A foul by Tav on that man Ward again on the edge of our 18 yard box resulted in another scramble in Dimi’s box with Dembele eventually being beaten to a ball and out for a Posh corner as concerns were now being raised by the home fans.

In response to the building Posh pressure both Fletcher and Gestede had headers but one went wide and another straight at O’Malley. A slide rule ball for Gestede to run onto was closed down as the Benin striker should perhaps have made more of the opportunity with two minutes of the first half remaining. Another McNair dribble towards the Posh box ended with him eventually beating himself instead of shooting, the ball was cleared out and fell to Dembele who again advanced forward turning on the afterburners in a warning that this Peterborough side possessed some pace.

A Boro attack died out with Britt hanging onto the ball too long and then inevitably being overcrowded and losing out. Grant had to make a cynical challenge earning a yellow to prevent another high speed Posh breakaway from Britt’s loss and that ended the first half action, which had started comfortably but ended with Peterborough looking the more likely to score. TP’s strike heavy side just didn’t connect or enjoy any intuition between them and as a consequence, apart from high balls into the box, didn’t offer any real threat on O’Malley’s goal.

The second half commenced with Tavernier getting the “home Boro” kicking off with Lewis Wing having come on for VLP. With McNair now looking like a right wing-back, overlapping and acting as a decoy, it dragged defenders away from Wing to allow the sub to pass it into the path of Tav and as he was tackled the ball broke to Fletcher, who shot at goal but with O’Malley being challenged by Gestede he tipped it onto the Posh crossbar only for Britt to react first and head it into the gaping net. Seconds later a cross from the left found Gestede who headed it back towards Britt instead of goalwards and the chance for a quick second was lost. Though not to worry, as Friend then broke down the left, passed it to Fletcher who cut towards the goal line and darted into the box fending off a challenge to slide it back through to Friend, who had continued his run and slid it home to make it 2-0 with the half not even five minutes old.

A McNair challenge in an effort to rescue a previous lapse led to a free kick that was hit straight at Dimi by Toney but the big Greek got down to it easily as Posh looked to be running out of ideas. George Friend was just in front of the dugouts under pressure from Ward but when George twisted and turned, Ward also tried to turn but his studs looked as though they got stuck in the turf and his knee seemingly gave way requiring treatment. Dimi had hearts in mouths minutes after the restart as he nonchalantly dealt with a back pass but while under pressure calmly waited until the last second before passing it away from the advancing attentions of Toney.

As the game entered a quiet spell, a ball up-field to Wing on 62 minutes saw Lewis looking for options and as McNair again dragged the attentions of the two covering defenders momentarily, Lewis despatched a rocket from twenty five yards out that screwed mid-flight towards O’Malley’s top left and found the upper corner of the net to make it 3-0. It’s been said before but when Wing came on Boro (Middles) looked better balanced and joined up. A series of passes between red shirts patiently probed the Posh backline and it was played in to Wing who slid through a well-paced ball to Gestede, who then back-heeled it into the path of Britt taking out two defenders and in doing so left Britt with a cool final pass into the back of O’Malley’s net with the 70-minute mark just coming up.

Three minutes later Gestede was taken off to give 18 year old Stephen Walker a chance to get some more experience and simultaneously Tav also went off for Harrison Chapman to get some first team action. Steve Evans then brought Callum Cooke on for Reid upon his Riverside return. With the game having by now ended as a contest, Evans then brought on Cummings for Dembele with just over ten minutes remaining. Britt had the good fortune of a bobble breaking kindly to him and broke free on 84 minutes, the ex-Posh Striker had Walker screaming at him to release it to him but Britt tried to beat one man too many and the chance for a fifth and a personal hat trick was gone. Not to worry, a ball out of defence from Fry to McNair saw him run down the right flank linking up with Fletcher in a slick move and then saw Walker’s low cross deflected back out to McNair who then centred it to the advancing Fletcher, who pivoted in the middle of the Posh 18-yard box and hit it on the volley giving O’Malley no chance and 5-0.

On 88 minutes Lafferty cut a ball across the Boro (Middles) six-yard box to cause a late scare but the ball wasn’t met at the far post after evading Dimi and George and it went out harmlessly for a goal kick. A minute later Britt was through in the Posh box and was brought down for what looked like a stonewall penalty but Ref James Livington at 5-0 seemingly had a heart and waved away Britt’s protests. Three minutes of added time went up on the fourth Officials board and in the last second a late fierce drive was acrobatically palmed up onto the bar by Dimi to keep a clean sheet on his record-breaking appearance.

MOM was Lewis Wing who came on and changed the entire game but Grant was also worthy of a mention for his reading of the game and spreading the ball around. McNair had a strange game; he had a few wobbly runs that came to nothing but was always full of running and looked far better and coherent when he had Wing to link up with (as did everyone else to be honest). In a strange way I felt that Paddy had shown something there that could maybe be tapped into further, especially with Lewis Wing in front. An underwhelming first half which just didn’t knit together up front at all and then a second half that was light years away from it, yielding a scoreline that nobody was expecting at half time and as a consequence the fourth round now beckons.