Goal Boro Forss
17th minute, assisted by Archer.
For the record, the Hatters took the lead in the very first minute away to Coventry, while the Clarets are a goal up at home to Preston.
1 - 1 Boo Steffen poor pass!
Steffen true to form again, only this time the opposition score. Lady Luck has deserted us for once.
Boro 2 - 1 Archer
Archer bags his first goal for Boro in the 38th minute, assisted by HH.
Great ball forward by Hackney catches the Cardiff defence out leaving Archer on a one to one and in it goes
Boro on the break again, brilliant cross from Giles and Forss hits the post with a header.
Well a great start followed by shooting ourselves in the foot. Then we get back into it following an excellent goal via a Hackney through ball to Archer, to open his account.
This is far from over and we cannot afford anymore slip ups and ideally need another to finish them off.
The teams around us are doing well so we need the three points.
Watmore scores for Millwall who lead at QPR. 😎
Boro a bit more secure in third place at half-time after Coventry equalised through a penalty in first-half injury time, but the Hatters still have that pesky game in hand.
Before people have a go at Steffen, McNair was asleep and it’s no good saying he wasn’t expecting it, he knows we play out from the back and the pass was not loose he should have got it. Fortunately Archer hits the bullseye.
Come on BORO.
@exmil I accept that McNair should have been more aware, but it was still a poor short pass to him.
I am still not happy with McNair. He does not have the heading
ability needed for a CB and too often let’s the ball drop and then loses it.
Posted by paulistapark (remember him?) on Vic's Twitter feed after Archer's goal ( 🙂 ):
Cardiff coming back into it more and Boro’s defence having some dodgy moments.
Jones on for Forss in the 68th minute.
Fry on for Archer in the 79th minute, Archer having been booked a minute earlier. Lenihan picked up a yellow in the 72nd minute.
Boro 3 - 1 McGree after too much Cardiff pressure !
1-3 - McGree in the 90th minute, assisted by Crooks, who'd replaced Akpom a minute earlier. 🙂
Phew we needed that one! 😎
3 points but a very poor second half from Boro, another couple of mistakes from McNair.
Come on BORO.
Phew and breath very good first half, poor second, but three points.
An ugly win but at least a win. We started so well but as the game wore on, and particularly in the second half, we were sloppy with too many passes being misplaced. This, coupled with a non existent midfield, allowed Cardiff back into the game and to exert some pressure,
Akpom should have scored before eventually, following good work from Crooks, McGree got the third.
So onto Sheffield on Wednesday for a crunch game. 😎
Good to see Forss and McGree adding to their goal tally instead of relying on Akpom to score in every game. Hopefully more from Archer also.
@k-p-in-spain Yes, I thought Barlaser may have replaced Howson. Hackney was still having some influence with his forward passes, but we needed someone to be able to influence that midfield area.
Ratings from the Gazette. ie Steffen poor
Zack Steffen - 5
Carrick's risk-reward style means Steffen is asked to play out from the back, but he's prone to a sloppy one almost every game. This time it cost Boro a goal, though thankfully it didn't prove costly in the grand scheme of things, but helped make for an uncomfortable second half.
Tommy Smith - 6
Tough afternoon against the lively Callum Robinson. As per though, he rarely put a foot wrong as he went about his business.
Paddy McNair - 6
Held his nerve as Boro came under increasing pressure in the second half. Never looked completely assertive against Cardiff's pacey attackers though.
Darragh Lenihan - 8
Super at the back as standard. He won everything that came his way, allowing Boro to quickly reset and get back to the attack.
Ryan Giles - 7
Lively in the first half, getting up and down the left wing, but was forced to sit deeper and defend more second half.
Jonny Howson - 7
Another reliable and solid display from the skipper as he got the ball and moved it on throughout to keep Boro's attack going, while protecting the defence well.
Hayden Hackney - 8
Another brilliant display. He always wanted the ball and dictated Boro's tempo with his positivity when he had it. His touch of class to bring it down and drive before slipping a lovely ball in behind for his side's second goal was excellent and integral to the result.
Marcus Forss - 7
Another really bright display from the Fin. He scored another smashing goal and was so unlucky at the end of the first half not to add a second with a header that hit the post.
Riley McGree - 8
Another fine display from the Australian, whose confidence seems to grow every week. His free-roaming role allows him the freedom to find a way to unlock the door and against a stubborn Cardiff defence - set up to contain Boro - that's exactly what he did on multiple occasions, including for the first goal. You have to praise his effort and desire too, to in the 90th minute sprint the length of the pitch to get up with Crooks and score the goal that sealed it.
Chuba Akpom - 6
One if his quieter games this season as he struggled to get involved in the game much, with Boro's attack coming through others largely, and crosses not finding him. That's except one which, late on, he should have added Boro's third earlier than McGree ultimately did. You'd banked on him scoring in that moment, but this wasn't his day.
Cameron Archer - 6
Off the mark in a Boro shirt, showing his pace running in behind. Tired as the game wore on, however, and as Boro lost momentum in the second half he struggled to get involved or make the ball stick.
Substitutions
Isaiah Jones (For Forss, 68') - 6 - Struggled to have much of an impact as Cardiff had momentum searching for an equaliser.
Dael Fry (For Archer, 79') - 7 - Some vital headers and interceptions to help Boro keep Cardiff out during an uncomfortable period.
Boro not at our best today but still fairly comfortable winners in the end.
The first half, bar the dreadful Cardiff equaliser, was high class with Hackney absolutely running the game.
I mentioned in the preview that we’re hard to defend against. Cardiff’s first half tactic today was for their midfield to sit deep and occupy those spaces that McGree and Akpom like to drift into. However, it just afforded Hackney and Howson space to do what they do and the result was the same.
We shot ourselves in the foot again to let a Cardiff side bereft of any belief back in. I counted four errors in that goal:
1. Steffen’s poor pass out
2. McNair on his heels and not concentrating
3. McNair diving in to win it when he should have conceded his position and held his ground/the man up
4. Steffen rushing off his line to make the Cardiff player’s mind up when there was a defender already gaining some ground
A real horror show of a goal to concede.
The second half was more in our faces and higher up the pitch, which is the way to play against us but you run the risk of allowing space behind for the pace of our forwards.
Still, Boro were clearly the better team overall and deserved the points. All three goals were well taken and we just have that threat to score at any time.
Anyway, three points. Onwards - and a big one next.
Well, that was a relief. Boro were magnificent first half, playing some delightful stuff and really bossing the game, with the exception of Steffen’s huge blooper, which this time did cost us a stupid goal. Will he never learn? Give him his due, though - he played his part in a very nervy second half, dominating his penalty area and relieving the pressure. First half, McGree and Hackney were imperious, controlling the midfield superbly. Riley found spaces aplenty between Cardiff‘s lines, roaming freely across the field as he does. Two really good Boro goals, too! Surely, we would come out 2nd half and continue dominating?
Not a bit of it! Instead it was the home side who were fired up, and whatever control Howson, Hackney and McGree had had dissipated into thin air as Cardiff pressed us back. I’m at a loss to explain why. Our fluent, exhilarating football of the first 45 was replaced by backs-to-the-wall defending, often with all 11 men behind the ball. Our brilliant passing game deserted us and we couldn’t make the ball stick going forward. Wave after wave of blue attacks came at us, and though they were repelled through a combination of resilient defending and wayward shooting, it seemed only a matter of time till they would equalise. I have few finger nails left! Then Chuba hit the post from close in and it seemed the agony would continue. But Matty, Matty Crooks ultimately made the difference in his short cameo, winning the ball high up the pitch and setting up McGree ( my MOM) for a fine finish. Phew! And breathe!
@pedro Berlaser my start instead of Howson and that’s why he didn’t come on 🤔
Come on BORO.
* on Wednesday.
Come on BORO.
@malcolm McNair I would rate as a 5 at best, apart from his involvement in gifting Cardiff a goal, he had few errors during the game, recently I have not got nervous watching Boro but every time the ball went near Paddy my stomach di somersaults.
Come on BORO.