Third goal a cracker
Third goal a cracker
Match Report
It took new signing Uche Ikpeazu less than 10 minutes to announce his arrival as a Boro player in the first friendly of the summer at Bishop Auckland.
The former Wycombe marksman scored a terrific opening goal as Neil Warnock’s side beat their Northern League opponents, Djed Spence adding a second and Jeremy Sivi finishing the scoring with a fine volley.
Boro looked resplendent in the all-new green away kit on what was a stunning evening at Heritage Park. With almost 1,000 fans inside the ground and the sun beating down, Warnock couldn’t have wished for a better way to start the summer games programme.
The Boro boss even did an impromptu walk around the the pitch before the game to meet young fans and pose for socially distanced photographs.
And it took just nine minutes for the fans to have something to cheer when Ikpeazu smashed the ball home from distance despite the best efforts of the Bishop Auckland goalkeeper to keep it out.
Warnock would opt to field two 45-minute teams and the first half side had the ball in the net twice more – but both efforts were ruled out by an offside flag.
The first was when Duncan Watmore ghosted in to head home an Anfernee Dijksteel cross and the second was another Watmore header, this time from a Hayden Coulson delivery.
Coulson himself went close with a decent strike, after great work by Ikpeazu, and Marcus Tavernier also curled a shot wide as Boro dominated the opening 45 minutes.
The second half started with Chuba Akpom rattling the woodwork after a good cross from Jeremy Sivi while both Malik Dijksteel and Calum Kavanagh warmed the hands of the home goalkeeper with low strikes.
Akpom went close again, curling a shot just wide, after being released on the halfway line.
The second goal came 15 minutes from time when Djed Spence found space down the right and his low strike left the keeper with no chance, going in off the inside of the post.
And the result was sealed moments from the end when Sivi volleyed home Josh Marshall's cross in impressive style
Boro (first half): Lumley, A Dijksteel, Fry, Hall, Coulson, McNair, Morsy, Tavernier, Bahamboula, Ikpeazu, Watmore.
Boro (second half): James, Spence, Peltier, Wood, Marshall, Wing, Willis, M Dijksteel, Sivi, Akpom, Kavanagh.
Unused subs: Gitau, Gibson.
OFB
In Case you don’t know who Sivi is
Boro have captured the signature of attacking wide man Jeremy Sivi on a professional contract.
The club beat off the interest of clubs around Europe to sign the 18-year-old after he impressed during a trial period.
Sivi, who was with the Onside Football Academy in London, trained at Rockliffe towards the end of the season and made his debut for our Under-23s at Crystal Palace in the PL2.
His previous professional experience came as a youngster with Leyton Orient, while he also played with Harlow Town.
He looked outstanding tonight and a real prospect
OFB
Malik Dijksteel brother if Afernee also played
| Date of birth: | Jul 8, 2001 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth: | Amsterdam  |
| Age: | 20 |
| Height: | 1,76 m |
| Citizenship: | Netherlands Suriname |
| Position: | midfield - Attacking Midfield |
| Foot: | right |
| Player agent: | CAA Base Ltd |
| Current club: |  Middlesbrough FC U23 |
| Joined: | Feb 3, 2021 |
| Contract expires: | Jun 30, 2021 |
Martin Payero has passed his Middlesbrough medical ahead of the Olympics getting underway, Neil Warnock has confirmed.
Although there are financial loose ends to be tied up, the midfielder will join up with Boroonce Argentina's campaign in Tokyo is finished.
"I've asked him to get knocked out in the quarters if he can," laughed Warnock, as he all but confirmed Payero will be a Boro player next season.
OFB
I hope that Boro’s football won’t be as dull as their petrol blue away strip is. Likewise Castleford’s Wembley strip for the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final tomorrow is only marginally better and why would a team play in black in such a heatwave? It might be ok for Phil Mickelson, or maybe not as he is placed last in the 156 field at the Open Golf at the moment. The best colour for a heatwave is white and as St Helens play in white with a red chevron surely Cas should have adopted their normal home colours of amber.
I’ve just received my souvenir programme for tomorrow’s Rugby League Challenge Cup Final with my name printed inside amongst almost 700 fans who will be unable to attend for various reasons. Probably the last souvenir programme I’ll receive now in my lifetime for either Cas or Boro to add to my collection to go along with my photo holding the cup aloft following the last time that Cas won the Cup in in 1986.
I’ve been watching the Open Golf this week but 13/14 hour days of televised viewing have at times taken their toll and I’ve often fallen asleep on occasions. But today even golf will have to take a back seat not only because of the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final but this evening there’s another Lancashire v Yorkshire match to watch in the T20 cricket encounter at Old Trafford. Always like to get one over over the Red Rose (pun unintended), but can I stay awake is the question? Not only that but I’ve already one Speedway Grand Prix from last night to catch up on, then another one tonight on BT Sport. With this heatwave it’s difficult to keep up with in my fragile state at the moment. There just aren’t enough hours in the day, perhaps when the Country went digital there should have extended that to 50 hours in the day, but can’t see how that would work. Nevertheless I’m trying to fill in as much Sport as I can in between shopping, preparing meals and ironing but really I’m ‘kernackered’ and really need that ‘final’ sleep.
It’s ironic that whilst we’re having a heatwave in most of the UK that Friday’ night’s Speedway Grand Prix in Prague was continually interrupted by rain with several crashes occurring, though thankfully no serious injuries occurring. Britain’s Tai Woffinden after a poor start somehow managed to reach the Final and took the bronze medal. In Saturday’s second Grand Prix at the same venue the weather was even worse and I wasn’t surprised that it was eventually postponed after a few heats with more crashes happening. I was quite concerned for the safety of all the riders and can’t really understand why the event started in the first place. Remembering that Speedway bikes have no gears nor brakes, it must be one of the most dangerous sports in the World. A cousin of my father Norman Evans used to ride for Boro Bears, and subsequently for Newcastle Diamonds where his racing partner at Newcastle Ken le Breton named the White Ghost, died after hitting the safety fence riding for Australia against Great Britain in a Test Match in Sydney in 1951. Also Eaglescliffe born Gary Havelock who rode for Middlesbrough Tigers as a 16 year old and became World Champion whilst with Bradford Dukes in 1992 was involved in so many crashes later in life for Redcar Bears he broke so many bones in his body that he was lucky to still be riding at the age of 45 until he broke his collarbone, an arm and several ribs in one crash. Yet as some of you will remember he was a dedicated Middlesbrough football fan who played football for the Boro in the Premier All Stars team that won the Sky competition in 2007. A tough customer was our Gary as are most Speedway riders, but I really think that it was a stupid decision to start Saturday’s Grand Prix in Prague.
Which leads me to the present Coronavirus situation. In Rugby League so many matches have been postponed this season and with so many strange results with a couple of matches being awarded as 24-0 results. Also in Scotland a few League Cup matches have ended with clubs being awarded 3-0 wins due to opponents being unable to raise a team due to coronavirus. At best I can still see several football clubs going to the wall this season as it’s not only players, but also parents, wives, partners, and children being affected. Let’s hope that Boro soon have enough players to raise a team as an already congested fixture list could result in many academy players having to be deployed in first team duties. This pandemic is not going away, and we still have the winter months to contend with. Conceding matches 3-0 doesn’t seem an alternative for me, and whilst it’s nice to see crowds returning it only takes some selfish people to ignore the situation and guidelines for us all to be back to square one.
I myself am expected to attend James Cook Hospital in future to see my consultant instead of receiving phone calls or else receipt of my controlled drugs will cease as deliveries to my home address have stopped. Some days I can hardly stand due to plantar fasciitis in one leg and a heavy catheter on the other leg, drugs which cause constipation, a posterior which is so red with a viral infection that sitting down is so uncomfortable. Antibiotics and various creams have been useless yet red tape in receiving an inflated ring to ease the situation when sitting is still ongoing after several weeks. Hormone drugs have kept me alive so far, but as with all drugs they have left me with other problems such as a tortuous colon and a hiatus hernia almost the size of a small coat hanger. I’ve had a good life and luckier than most, but would prefer to die peacefully in my sleep as an option than put up with all these inconveniences any more. I’m not suicidal but life has become a bore now and am ready to reach those pearly gates. Dying is no problem, but the oncoming period towards it I’ve always put to the back of my mind, but although surviving any coronavirus systems I don’t want to carry on as my mental state is now causing me some concern.
I’ve tended to ramble on more since this pandemic as this blog probably confirms, jumping from one subject to another. But keep safe everyone, most of you are young enough to do so, but for myself I’ve become too weary to bother.
R
@ken a lot of us have had negative feelings throughout this pandemic so you are not alone in your thoughts and in how you feel.
That said of course our medical ailments are not as severe as your own and I can only imagine the frustration you are feeling right now. I have to visit James Cook Hospital myself in a few weeks for a follow up MRI scan and I can think of other places I'd much rather be, masked, double jabbed or otherwise.
Stay strong and focus on the positives, I think that memories of happier times often help during our quiet or difficult moments especially when drifting off for a nap. This blog for one would certainly be a far poorer place without your contributions.
The Boro squad kicked-off their work in Cornwall on Monday by welcoming new face Jamie Paterson in training.
The 29-year-old attacking midfielder is out of contract after leaving Bristol City at the end of last season and will spend the new few days training and playing with the Boro squad in the south-west.
Boss Neil Warnock said: “Jamie is a lad I’ve always kept in touch with.
"It’s a good opportunity to have look at him in this environment, it’s a no-brainer really."
Paterson has a wealth of Championship experience having clocked up over 150 appearances for Bristol City after joining from Nottingham Forest in 2016.
He will feature in a Boro shirt for the first time on Monday evening when the travelling squad take on Saltash United (7pm).
Warnock will utilise his squad to the full and his players are likely to increase their minutes on the pitch during the course of the games against Saltash and Tavistock, on Wednesday.
The trip rounds off with a game against League One Plymouth Argyle on Friday.
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Keep at it Ken, we are going on a cup run this season and you dont want to miss it!!
I was a Bears fan too, my dad was the course A and E Doctor for a few years and as a 10 year old I spent many a cold night in the pits with my sandwiches and bovril.
You've certainly proved your staying power in recent years Ken and have overcome much that most would have struggled with - I hope you can get some easing of at least a few of those ailments so that you can enjoy life for a bit more to come yet - besides there's probably a bit of queue at those pearly gates after what's been happening recently - best hang on for a while and avoid the crowds!
Always sad to hear of your travails and, as always, I have offered up a small prayer that you can find some relief.
Ditto everyone above. We really would have been poorer without your conversation, your memories, your immense research and knowledge sharing, your poems, your kind words and more than that, we will be poorer if you are unable to contribute any more.
Like Werder said, it might be a bit congested at the Pearly Gates just now, and with having to socially distance the queue there is at least 5 times longer than it should be!
I hope that most of us, including you, will be around long enough to see the end of the worst restrictions to be able to raise a glass to each other in the Navigation or wherever is most convenient.
Respect.
Former Hearts striker Uche Ikpeazu has clinched a £1 million move to Middlesbrough.
I played a few seasons of Football Manager and took Yeovil from the Vanarama to the Championship. The only transfer that I regard as a complete failure was Ikpeazu. After watching him play against us in real life I thought he would be the pressing forward I needed in the Championship. He scored 1 goal in 2 seasons and spent half of the time injured, the rest of the time complaining.
So here's hoping that Neil Warnock knows more about football than I do...
I was looking for something and found this. It appears that I did indeed know more about football than Warnock...