Then Boro restores the two-goal advantage: STRELEC in the 60th minute, assisted by Ayling - after Malanda had missed one!
Maddo quoted by the Beeb:
It's a wonderful ball into the box and what a finish. Strelec just gets in front and gets a head on it. It's an absolutely top drawer header.
A minute later, Strelec is replaced by Whittaker...
Conway booked in the 66th minute.
Browne & Sarmiento on for McGree & Conway in the 74th minute.
Conway booked in the 66th minute.
Malanda & Brynn booked as well in the dying minutes.
1-3 - comment on Beeb text commentary:
As mentioned before, this will be Blues' second home defeat since the start of last season. They last lost a home game by two goals on 26 December 2023.
What was the fuss before the match?
Hellberg's side back with a bang. A well deserved win tonight. Back to normal service. We played well in the two previous games but did not score. Now we did.
Up the Boro!
Full marks to Kim Hellberg for plucking out a tactical change this evening that was able to hold its own against a physical Birmingham - particularly the second half - plus was able to catch out the Blues by playing in behind them and pinning them back when they tried to play out. In the end Birmingham were left just playing hopeful long balls that Fry was more than happy to deal with. The back three also helped Ayling play his A game but seemed to affect Malanda, who didn't look comfortable on the left side. Still Matt Target grabbed a brace and perhaps more importantly Strelec scored to give him much-needed confidence to make the game safe. However, most important was those three points to keep Boro ahead of the chasing pack!
Overall, a very satisfactory performance. The bonus was Strelec scored with an impressive header and left the field with a big smile on his face.
3 shots and all on target - 3 goals and only 40% possession. Proved you don’t need loads of shots and 60% to 70% possession.
well done to all the players against Birmingham who had lost only one home game this season and remarkably only lost one in the last 41.
And so it’s QPR.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍👍👍😁😁
One interesting observation looking at the table after this result is that the top nine clubs all won their games this weekend - so it was a very important win tonight!
It's like the great Norman Lovett once said:
"And the moral of the story is: appreciate what you've got, because basically, I'm fantastic!"
A famous line that could certainly apply to both Kim Hellberg and David Strelec tonight, at least. The former for leading us to another away victory in the Midlands (if not at Coventry) featuring some very well taken goals of our own, the latter for finding the net again after all the pressure he's been under to succeed. This could start a scoring streak for him.
The forty minutes of the game that I did managed to watch - end of the first half, first thirty-five minutes of the second - highlighted that Birmingham got at us with real pace and physicality. I found it unsettling and Malanda wasn't as imperious as he can be. Ayling, at least, was better than I expected and I think it helped both to have Fry in the mix too. Three defenders also enabled more attacking from our full backs, which, as we found with Targett, was wholly welcome.
As was, of course, Strelec's goal. I was watching without commentary, what with the music playing in the Kitchen Bar - I do believe that's eight wins out of eight since I periodically started to watch Boro there! - so the goal seemed to take an age to go in, but I was delighted when it did. Of course Ipswich's games in hand aren't going away - yet - but the important thing is we've solidified second spot for now and we've kept the pressure on them.
I think we could've done without so many bookings though.
Finally - I really like the look of Sarmiento. He's coming across as a genuine alternative or complement to Whittaker, the sort who is always trying to make things happen. A more direct, more unpredictable upgrade to Burgzorg, maybe?
A fantastic result and important win at a Championship fortress. We weathered storms at the beginning of each half and put in the required grit and graft alongside some clinical finishing. Chuffed for both Targett and Strellic, as well as Hellberg for a tactical master class.
@simonfallaha stay in The Kitchen Bar for the rest of the season, Si! An impressive win considering their previous home form. Third goal was the killer and took the wind out of their sails just as they had momentum. Praying for a draw tomorrow or even a Hull win even though it would mean the Tigers only 3 points behind us. UTB
When they pulled one back, I started to think that typical Boro would crack under pressure although in the end there was no need to be concerned. A much needed 3 points and as Weder said, an important win.
Mind you, at this stage in the season, every game becomes a must win, especially when the teams below have caught us up.
Looking at the table, then I think a draw between Ipswich and Hull tomorrow could be the best outcome - failing that Hull to win.
Onwards to QPR and an awful time for the travelling supporters to get back from the smoke!
UTB
Match report from The Times:
& the Beeb's:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c75eqvlgq2nt
All eyes now on the Ipswich vs Hull encounter tomorrow evening: a draw or even, faute de mieux, a Hull win the desired outcome?
Well, what a statement win that was! Just when you think Boro’s challenge might implode, they go and win at a side with a hugely impressive home record! That must dampen the spirits of the chasing pack somewhat! And we’ve opened up the gap to third again! Get in!
Delighted for Targett, who took his two goals with cool aplomb, and for Strelec, whose joy was there for all to see! I do hope he now goes on a scoring streak and shows us just why we were right to sign him. UTB.
A good win at a ground that has been hard to win at for the past two seasons. I don't think that we had any player that stood out above the rest and Malanda had his worst game. Suprising to win a game where the opposition keeper does not make a save. Our 3 shots on target out of 10 went in. Our passing was off as well our season average accuracy is over 84% tonight it was 69.9%. A game we had to win and it is still in our own hands to make the top 2 as we have to go to Ipswich in April. A draw at Portman Road on Tuesday would be highly appreciated. Also Hull play Millwall on Saturday.
I will read the various posts from the Birmingham game after a good sleep and maybe some breakfast. In the meantime:
1. We are back on track
2. Great result
3. No badgers were harmed during the performance.
4. GET IN !
Great to see OFB’s Boro3 is back.
Come on BORO.
Great to see OFB’s Boro3 is back.
Come on BORO.
Absolutely. All we need now is OFB himself back in good order. I hope last night's result was a suitable tonic for him.
Really good away win last night - determined and ruthless.
Thought pretty much everyone had a strong contribution including Malanda, whose defending was actually fine but for some reason his distribution - usually one of his many strengths - was just well off it.
Hellberg gets the biggest plaudits for me for an inspired change of shape which saw him get that little bit more from the group defensively as well as getting McGree, Conway and Strelec into their favoured areas without sacrificing width.
You never want to become too predictable but I wonder if we’ll see a lot more of that setup going forward and, if we do get across the line, even more so next season.
As said above, Birmingham had lost only one home game this season and remarkably only lost one in the last 41.Overall, a very satisfactory performance. The bonus was Strelec scored with an impressive header and left the field with a big smile on his face.
3 shots and all on target - 3 goals and only 40% possession. Proved you don’t need loads of shots and 60% to 70% possession.
well done to all the players against Birmingham who had lost only one home game this season and remarkably only lost one in the last 41.
And so it’s QPR.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍👍👍😁😁
And then the stadium was nearly empty - except the away end - for the final 15 min. Cannot call them loyal, can we? Embarrassing, me thinks.
Up the Boro!
Well, gentlemen, that was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. Three goals, three points and a return to form.
I have read the comments posted after the match (and during) and agree Malanda's passing seemed a little "off" though his defending was good, and obviously Targett took both his goals well. The goal from Strelec was a REALLY good header from distance into the net from the far post. The keeper had no chance after the defenders had gone missing. No wonder Strelec looked happy even though substituted immediately after scoring. That goal was the end of the game as a contest. It dampened down any embers of hope fanned when Birmingham scored at the start of the second half.
In fact Birmingham started BOTH halves well and made me feel uncomfortable watching for those periods from the Snug. But, unusually, Boro looked clinical up front. MUCH more satisfying than 70% possession frittered away without shots/poorly directed/rushed shots. I hope it proved a welcome shot of Sanatogen directly injected into OFB's system.
During the game, after I had stopped punching the air in delight, I had a lot of sympathy for the Birmingham keeper. In Rugby Union he'd have been taken off the field for a Head Injury Assessment. He looked groggy and not fully aware after his crash into his playing colleague during a Boro attack that left both players flat out on the ground. I claim no medical expertise but my two friends and I all felt he might have been suffering concussion. He looked poor for the rest of the first half at least, though, to be fair, the whole Birmingham team seemed to have the wind taken from its sails by Targett's first goal.
Quite apart from the effect on his performance, one could easily imagine a scenario where the keeper was involved in another collision, say from a corner, with a REALLY serious injury resulting. It's the sort of situation where family members might understandably in the future raise concerns for the safety of their husband/brother/father, suggesting he should have been better protected even against himself. Obviously a player may very well WANT to continue playing. "I'm fine, I'm fine!". But he didn't LOOK fine to me and if he'd collapsed later in the game serious questions would inevitably have been asked. Hopefully he will be fine when he wakes up today.
All in all, a job very well done by Boro. The supporters were loud and proud. On to QPR! It may prove to be the case that, since the games in March are already timetabled for SkyTV, Boro will find its team exposed to the glare of national and international scrutiny for the run-in to what we hope will be a glorious season.
A draw for Hull tonight and in the next game will help to spike the guns of our Yorkshire coast neighbours as well as Ipswich and Millwall. Providing BORO can "do the business" in addition to Hull's hoped-for results, I expect OFB will soon be seen doing cartwheels into The Riverside. Bring it on!
Well that was a good result and a deserved three points from a battling performance.
Not one of the most fluid or controlled performances we have produced but it achieved the required outcome; it further proves that it’s not solely about possession and number of shots it’s about quality of performance, taking chances and defending well.
We will probably need a similar display on Sunday and ideally another three points to keep the pressure/gap on the chasing pack. 😎
I think a lot of credit should go to KH for the change of shape and tactics last night. I’ve heard him say that his team need to play where the space is and they did that very well. Kicking long from SB was also a marked change and seemed effective against Birmingham.
I agree with FD about their keeper. In Rugby League he’d have had to leave the pitch after that head collision - to put him at further risk seemed inexplicable to me.
Anyway, here’s the match report from the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/mar/02/birmingham-city-middlesbrough-championship-match-report?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Trivia about Jeremy Sarmiento.
Maybe it’s been said already but his signing might be a good omen. I spoke to a Burnley fan last night and he said JS did well for them. And so he did! He was a member of their promotion winning side of 2024-25 and he contributed significantly to Ipswich’s promotion in 2023-24. Same again, then?
Last night was a victory for solid professionalism rather than fluent football, and that is exactly the quality that we will most need to see us through to the end of the season.
Targett was M-o-M and the manner in which he took his goals was that of a solid pro, bringing the ball down, showing good touch and sticking the ball away. He looked every inch the striker we have been looking for all season, someone who given a chance will put the ball in the back of the net. No flapping, no nerves, just ruthless professionalism.
Fry wasn't far behind him with an outstanding display at the heart of our defence of a kind that we haven't been seeing over the past few weeks.
But then look at the rest of the team. Ayling, absolutely brilliant again, and Hackney, Morris, Brittain, McGree, Conway and Brynn, all experienced Championship players giving their all in terms of energy and commitment, in addition to their considerable talents.
Malander had an off night in terms of his passing but has obvious class and ability, whilst Strellic effectively sealed the win with a superb header. I was sorry to see him subbed as a goal energises any player and David might well have added to his tally had he stayed on. He must be a regular starter now. Add to this Browne coming on as sub and you have as formidable a unit as any in the division
Much has been made of Hellball in the media over the past few weeks, and rightly so. The flexibility and tactical unpredictability of the team has been the most exciting aspect many of our recent displays. But it is the solid framework of the team as a whole, with scarcely a weak link in terms of skill, energy and effort that is likely to be our most important asset as we approach the long run-in to the season's climax.
I remain optimistic, not in spite of, but because of a certain lack of fluency in our football. It was the graft, experience and commitment that saw us through last night. And they are the most important qualities we will need to reproduce over the next eleven games. I don't see any reason why we cannot do that, even at Ipswich.
@martin-bellamy I agree with FD and you on the failing of duty of care regarding the Brum keeper Beadle. I thought at the time he looked in bad shape while he was attended to on the ground. Clearly after the restart he was all at sea and it beggars belief that they failed to substitute him. What also beggars belief is the criticism he (Beadle) was getting from Birmigham supporters in the BBC chat after the match. Total lack of sympathy or care. Quite shocking really.
Trivia about Jeremy Sarmiento.
Maybe it’s been said already but his signing might be a good omen. I spoke to a Burnley fan last night and he said JS did well for them. And so he did! He was a member of their promotion winning side of 2024-25 and he contributed significantly to Ipswich’s promotion in 2023-24. Same again, then?
Si, when you say "Same again, then?", surely you don't mean for hm to contribute to Ipswich's promotion this season, do you? 🤔
We can all relax tonight and watch out for the result of Hull v Ipswich.
It could be argued that a draw and granting one point to each team would be the best result for Boro. But I’m hoping Hull win which will give Ipswich a little setback. Okay it puts Hull nearer but i believe Ipswich will prove to be the biggest challenger.
Some excellent posts on this site.
Philipof Huddersfield 👍😁👍
@powmillnaemore Ha ha. Of course not, Powmill. I was simply happy to hear he’d been part of two promotion winning set ups recently and hope the same can happen again, this time with us.