Sorry to see Borges come on. Fingers crossed he doesn't make a dangerous mistake...
No changes for Boro at the start of the second half, but Ryan Giles has replaced Gustavo Puerta as one of two Hull changes.
Borges, Doak & Burgzorg on for Engel, Jones & McGree in the 69th minute. Enough time for Doak and/or Burgzorg to make a difference?
CJ:
Subs having an impact for Boro. Doak again down the right, cuts it inside to Burgzorg who is held up. but manages to turn and get a snap shot at goal which Pandur does well to get down and save.
Barlaser with a good ball into Azaz. He feints to beat his man and then hits one with his left, but Pandur saves. Boro really probing now in search of a winner. It feels like it's coming, but they have to make it happen.
It sounds as though the match continues in its failure to dazzle.
I am treading water until the final whistle, at which point I will be preparing a rump steak. The venison & cognac pate at HT was enough to stave off the hunger pangs.
Son & heir has returned from his New Year celebrations with friends on Tyneside. The prospect of steak has perked him up more than the football so far.
No changes for Boro at the start of the second half, but Ryan Giles has replaced Gustavo Puerta as one of two Hull changes.
Borges, Doak & Burgzorg on for Engel, Jones & McGree in the 69th minute. Enough time for Doak and/or Burgzorg to make a difference?
Alex Gilbert replaces Azaz in the 88th minute...
Alex Gilbert! Deep into injury time. A club must use its youth players!
Sucker punch - for Boro! Alex Gilbert, of all people, assisted by Burgzorg, in the third of four minutes of injury time!
Wow! Well done young Alex Gilbert. Boro now 5th in the table.
I was just about to post the following:
You wait 9 months for a goalless draw and then two of them come along together.....
And then we steal it at the death 🥳
I'll take that.
And breathe!! Never mind the quality, take the three points.
A classic of poor proportions but a quality goal in the end to do what so many teams above us have done to Hull. 😎
Phew and breathe
ah but Gilbert isn’t or wasn’t one of our youth team players
Alexander George Henry Gilbert is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough. Gilbert is a graduate of the West Bromwich Albion Academy and began his professional career with Brentford in 2020
OFB
Well that was tense at the end. The difference down the left when Borges came on was telling, although I understand the need to rest Engel.
I'm sure we’re all happy with 3 points.
If ever a game needed a dramatic ending then that was it - phew indeed!
Hull offered little going forward but Boro seemed to want to walk it into their goal but couldn't get it together in the last third - in the end it was a driving run from Burgzorg and a smart finish from 88th minute sub Gilbert. Interestingly, it was one of the few times when somebody actually made a run into the six-yard box to offer the player making a cross an option.
Probably a game too far for both teams after a busy festive schedule - I'm still not sure of the merits of a New Year's Day fixture given there's another one on Saturday and most people would've been quite happy to rest today.
Still, Boro with a 100% record in 2025 😉
Alex Gilbert's goal - all 30 seconds of it:
🙂 👍
I was about to write what a disappointing game.
Hull pretty useless offering no threat and Boro, particularly in the second half had all the possession but lacked the spark to create chances.
If ever there was a game for the taking this was it. So the longer the game went on the more frustrated I became.
And then ecstasy!!, a goal in the final minute and all ( well almost all ) is forgiven. So a welcome 3 points and hopefully this win will improve confidence for the next game.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍👍😂😂
pleased to see Jones started and Engel did well in getting forward.
I think we had something like 75 % of possesion in the second half - or more.
A fully deserved win. And I have never seen Carrick, Woodgate and Leadbitter to celebrate a goal so much. The highlight of the match. Carrick went crazy!
Three points. Well done. Up the Boro!
Fantastic ending to a game we dominated but would have been furious about had we only drawn
I have been interested over the pat few weeks in the difference of opinion on the immediate future of Gilbert.
Scott wants to move him out on loan, as he wished to last summer, and I suspect, as with Coburn, that he would like to move him on a permanent basis. Carrick can see his considerable potential, and wants to keep him in the squad.
So taking Azaz off and bringing Gilbert on for the last few minutes tonight felt like a really significant moment for me. Carrick making a point.
But for him not simply to make a point, but to prove it so dramatically, will have added an extra dimension to the delight of the Boro boss and his team, as the reaction of the coaching staff when the goal went in demonstrated.
Incidentally, it will be interesting to see the player ratings tonight in the Gazette and Echo. They tend to be mainly influenced not by the performances, but by the result.
So had the game ended 0-0 that result would have been disappointing. Even though we dominated the game I suspect players would have been given ratings of 6 predominantly, with a couple of 5s and maybe a 7
Since the game was won I think we will now see mainly 7s, a couple of 6s and perhaps one 8, even though the performances were identical.
People have said we need to win ugly and despite all the possession it was 0-0, that along comes forgotten man. Good I'll take that anytime. Well done Boro.
Can he be played some more please? Well I for one really hope so.
Happy new year everyone.
UTB,
John
A sort-of-heartening match report from the Echo:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/24827778.hull-0-1-middlesbrough-alex-gilbert-boro-hero/
And its player ratings (a bit stingier than the Gazette's):
Burgzorg MotM.
The Gazette's:
No MotM nominated.
Both say that they don't normally rate a player who's on the pitch for only a few minutes, but Alex Gilbert rather forced their hand!
Stats for the game:
possession Hull 31% Boro 69%
Total shots Hull 7 Boro 17
On target Hull 1 Boro 6
MOTM went to the Hull keeper ( who pulled off 3 good saves)
possibly 3 penalty shouts for Boro (1 a definite)
During the second half the commentator remarked that you would think this was a Boro home game. It was certainly attack versus defence.
I for one was thinking this is going to be 0-0 until Gilbert slotted home and we all saw how much it meant to the coaching staff, never mind the players. It was certainly a great goal to get the deserved win.
Come on BORO.
I for one was thinking this is going to be 0-0 until Gilbert slotted home and we all saw how much it meant to the coaching staff, never mind the players. It was certainly a great goal to get the deserved win.
The thoughts of our Dear Leader on the post-match celebrations:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/24827798.michael-carrick-middlesbrough-celebrations-hull/
Off topic, the Tigers came from behind to win the yellow card count by 2-1. 😉
The Deck Chairs are currently beating the Blades by 2-1, having scored all three goals...
@exmil. I think they know like we do that if Boro are serious about getting promoted then they need to start finishing off teams like Hull, preferably more comfortably.
Had they missed the opportunity again to get back into a top six slot then I suspect that players, coaches and supporters would have had their confidence seriously dented. 😎
I had virtually given up, expecting to be very disappointed by another draw and more lost points against weak opposition. We had been knocking on the door with incessant pressure for a good 10 -15 minutes but then had fatally lost the momentum. When the goal went in I leapt out of my armchair, punched the air and screamed, ‘Yesssssss!!’ I’m sure that must have woken the neighbours up!
That Gilbert goal might just be priceless come the end of the season.
@original-fat-bob - Ah, yes! I did know that but I'd forgotten. The bottle of Pinot Noir had nothing to do with it....
Two clean sheets in a row?
It's fair to say an ugly game, seems we dropped to their standard, we haven't been as fluid lately and think I know the reason.
I'm a big fan of Hackney, but his game as dropped off in too many games, and I think the reason is, he's not as comfortable playing on the left of the two, Morris was perfect playing next to him ,because the could switch around at times, accommodating Burlaser is hurting Hackneys game.
Maybe finding a natural left of two in midfield might be something to look at, or try McGree there.
I'll take three points anyway
And there were nine first-team players not involved at the MKM Stadium due to injury.Two clean sheets in a row?
For example Howson was in the away crowd with his son.
I hope there is a break in the near future for Carrick to count his numbers. Of course it is the same for all teams at the moment. Hence it is very noice to have a proper squad of players available.
A nice win, though. Up the Boro!
Like others thought it was destined to be goalless, but happy for the three points. Whoscored had Hackney as man of the match with the same score as Dael Fry. So since Glover came in two clean sheets and only one shot on target. Saw that Burnley at home to Stoke had 18 shots and only two on target.