Middlesbrough 2-0 Town
Saturday, 8th Mar 2014 17:11

Danny Graham’s two first half goals ended Middlesbrough’s goal drought and saw his side to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Blues at the Riverside. The on-loan Sunderland man followed up after Dean Gerken had saved Mustapha Carayol’s shot in the 29th minute, then headed home ex-Blue Grant Leadbitter’s corner moments before half-time.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side with Paul Taylor again starting in a three-man attack. Luke Hyam and Jonny Williams returned from hamstring injuries to take places on the bench.

Academy second-year scholar Teddy Bishop travelled with the senior squad for the first time — Anthony Wordsworth having suffered a back problem in Thursday training - but was not included in the 18.

Frazer Richardson was unavailable against his parent club, while skipper Carlos Edwards also didn’t make the trip.

Boro made six changes from the side which lost 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday last week with former Town man Leadbitter returning and skippering the side.

After the home side had won a corner within the first 30 seconds, Taylor carved out the game’s first opportunity, getting behind one-time Town target George Friend on the right and cutting the ball back to Frank Nouble, who returned the ball to the former Peterborough man in an offside position when he might have looked goalwards himself.

The Teessiders, without a goal in their last seven games, went closer in the fourth minute when Graham laid the ball back to Taylor’s former Posh team-mate Lee Tomlin, who shot just wide from the 18-yard line.

Boro probably should have gone in front in the 12th minute when Emmanuel Ledesma’s freekick from the right fell to Friend, who blazed over from 10 yards when he ought to have done better. Four minutes later the former Doncaster left-back cut in and crossed but Graham headed well over.

Friend was proving to be the home side’s biggest danger early on and on 20 he again cut in from the left between Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra but smashed his shot high and wide.

Carayol, a scorer in last year’s corresponding fixture, hit a low strike which Gerken tipped wide in the 21st minute, although the ball appeared to be going past the post in any case.

The Teessiders continued present the greater threat and in the 26th minute Berra did well to get back to stab the ball away from Graham with the striker through behind the Blues’ backline.

Taylor almost put Town in front in the 28th minute after a speculative Daryl Murphy shot had deflected to him on the right of the area. The Liverpudlian curled a shot just over with the outside of his right boot and clearly thought he should have been celebrating his second goal of the season.

Two minutes later, the home side went ahead via their first goal in 12 hours and 14 minutes of football. Gerken couldn’t hold on to Carayol’s low shot to his left and Graham was quickest to react to stab home his first goal since returning to Boro from six yards.

The impetus was very much with the home side after the goal, Carayol making a couple of strong runs down the left, Cresswell first turning the ball to Gerken from close range ahead of Nathaniel Chalobah, before the Blues keeper challenged the winger as he looked to cut the ball back from a tight angle on the left.

As half-time approached, Boro continued to look the more threatening side, Ledesma seeing a 30-yard volley deflect wide after a corner had been cleared to him.

Soon after the fourth official had raised his board, the Teessiders increased their lead. Ex-Town skipper Leadbitter sent over a corner from the left and Graham got in front of Berra at the near post to flick a header across Gerken and into the net.

Boro were well worth their lead at the break, having controlled the game for the most part, creating the vast majority of the chances.

However, the half may well have panned out very differently had Taylor taken his chance shortly before Graham ended his side’s long wait for a goal.

McCarthy switched Luke Hyam for Nouble ahead of the restart with Paul Green moving to the right in a 4-4-2 formation.

Seven minutes after being introduced, Hyam was booked for a foul on Carayol in front of the technical area.

Green did well to turn Carayol’s cross from the right behind ahead of Chalobah in the 58th minute after the winger had got round the outside of Chambers on the Boro right as they broke after Town’s first corner of the afternoon.

A minute later, Cresswell shot well wide from a freekick 30 yards out after Green had been fouled by Ledesma. Soon after, Green scuffed a similarly wayward effort when well placed just outside the box.

Berra required treatment for a knee problem following a solid challenge with Friend, then in the 66th minute Murphy struck Town’s first shot on target but his effort on the turn was easy for Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos.

Three minutes later, McCarthy swapped Taylor, who had worked hard but without having the same impact on the game that he did a week ago, for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Moments later, Ledesma was booked for dissent, then Chambers joined him in the referee’s book for a foul on Carayol, who he pulled back after he had got away from him as the home side broke after a Town corner.

New loanee Jonny Williams was handed his Blues debut in place of Tabb 18 minutes from the end, while Boro switched goalscorer Graham for Kei Kamara.

Town, who were continuing to give the ball away cheaply as they had all afternoon, weren’t looking particularly likely to pull a goal back, while the home side didn’t appear to be overly concerned about adding a third.

Chambers blocked Boro sub Kamara’s shot in the 79th minute before the outstanding Carayol was replaced by Curtis Main to a warm ovation from the home fans.

Smith headed Cresswell’s left-sided corner well over with six minutes remaining, then in injury time Green curled a shot just wide after being found in space in the area by Cole Skuse.

Boro sub Main might have made it 3-0 soon afterwards, but diverted Kamara’s low cross from the right into the side-netting.

Berra forced Konstantopoulos into his most significant save of the afternoon in the final minute of injury time. Williams chipped a cross from the right, Berra nodded goalwards at the far post and the Greek keeper palmed the ball over.

But a Town revival never really looked on the cards. The home side had been deservedly in front at the break and their lead never looked under any serious threat in the second half.

The Blues were lacklustre throughout, giving the ball away far too easily and — aside from Taylor’s first half chance — creating little until the closing stages.

Town remain ninth still four points from sixth ahead of Tuesday’s trip to relegation-threatened Yeovil, who beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at home today.

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Gibson, Chalobah, Varga, Carayol (Main 80), Leadbitter (c), Friend, Tomlin (Butterfield 77), Graham (Kamara 72), Omeruo, Ledesma. Subs: Steele, Williams L, Atkinson, Morris.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Cresswell, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Tabb (Williams 72), Green, Taylor (Ebanks-Blake 69), Murphy, Nouble (Hyam 46). Subs: Loach, Anderson, Hunt, Mings, Williams. Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire). Att: 13,965 (Town: 450).

Photo: Action Images

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w12011545 added 10:37 - Mar 9

i was at the game yesterday and frankly it was embarrassing, Luke chambers was terrible and was constantly being out paced down the right wing we need a proper right back instead of playing a CB in the wrong position. With people slating Nouble i actually thought he was one of the better players on the pitch far better than Taylor who was constantly trying to out-flair players and just loosing the ball. Ebanks Blake was looking good when he came on and i think the subs should have been make a lot earlier than they were.

JWM added 10:38 - Mar 9

I apologise to all my fellow Town fans for being fully supportive in what MM and TC are trying to do under difficult financial circumstances. I also apologise for trying to defend MM as I realise that he should now be sacked because we are going nowhere under him and our season is now over with nothing left to look forward to. I hold my hands up completely guys and I realise that you are completely right and I have been completely wrong. Please find it in your hearts to forgive my insolent outbursts and I will in future fall in behind whatever you guys think because you know far more about football than I ever will. I look forward to seeing a new manager take over as soon as possible because this is the only way to achieve scintillating attacking football by spending no money. I will of course get behind the new man for at least the first season of his reign and if things don't work out I will once again join in with the loud chorus of disapproval.

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Cloddyseedbed added 12:47 - Mar 9 BillBlue - I think were on the same wavelength.
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tallguy6767 added 13:14 - Mar 9

From reading these posts it seems more and more people are turning their back on the club for good reasons!
only the real die hards who will put up with any old dross or people with more money than sense are still attending it seems these days.
Since Evans took over we have never had a decent side let alone manager! and its only getting worse! the traditions of the club have all but gone and I only fear where it will end.
Sorry to be so downbeat but thats the cold truth of the matter!

Cloddyseedbed added 13:27 - Mar 9 tallguy6767 - I'm an old real die hard and the club has had thousands from me over my lifetime but I've listened to enough lie's from the club over the last few years to now make a stand and I feel I will not be alone this summer. Who'll trust em?
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tallguy6767 added 13:43 - Mar 9 Totally agree with you cloddy ! people like you should be saluted not have the pi** taken out of them . like you say loyalty is wearing very thin now for most and the powers that be just don't get it !
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honder_ITFC added 14:33 - Mar 9

I appreciate people have their own opinions, but in my view I just cannot see how this club would benefit from getting rid of McCarthy or Evans.

A new manager would have to start all over again, spend tonne of money which we do not have and would probably shake things up for the worse. Unless a new owner comes in and wipes of all our debt (which would probably mean having a new stadium name or something similar which will rile up a lot of fans), then it will be unlikely that they would be able to do any better than Evans is now. Granted that Evans has not brought us success so far, but I would far rather have our owner than say Birmingham's, Leeds', Blackburn's, Cardiff's etc. etc. What Evans is attempting to do with our academy is something that we should be very grateful for.

billlm added 14:36 - Mar 9 jwm im not pro Edwards never have been but he would have done a lot better in most games at rb than chambers and before u jump I like chambers as a player and man full of enthusiasm, McCarthy cant make a decision to play players play to there strenghs im afraid
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sereneblue added 15:15 - Mar 9 Mick McCarthy is not an Ipswich manager. Once a defender always a defender and it shows in our performances. Now he's got his million for keeping us up he seems to be content playing this boring unentertaining rubbish.
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sereneblue added 15:19 - Mar 9 Is this your dummy I have just found on the floor JWM !!!!!
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blue_moon09 added 16:33 - Mar 9 Here we go again, Ipswich lose and don't play well and the idiots surface again, people have short memories MM saved us last season now you want him out, who do you want to replace him with Darren Ferguson?? you muppet's ain't got a clue the club needs proper fans not you lot
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warktheline added 17:16 - Mar 9 Blue moon09 careful you're get Punch and Judy aka blueboy and timmytime on your back.Stop being deluded like me and give up on Mick....after all,we only sit 9th and heavens knows where we go from here.Doomed I say,doomed.He he he he.
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blueboy1981 added 18:55 - Mar 9 warktheline ................... as pathetic as ever with the comments - but do we expect anything else ? - NO.
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blueboy1981 added 18:59 - Mar 9 bluemoon09 ...... as if you three musketeers will keep the Club afloat alone - 'dream on' buddies - and enjoy the entertainment on show.
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thebeat added 19:55 - Mar 9

Same old crap being spouted, where are we now compared to last year blah blah blah.
It doesnt matter where we were, it doesnt matter where we are, what matters is the amount of points we have dropped this season in games we clearly should have won due to negative tactics and poor team selection due to favouritism.
Barnsley (twice), Charlton, Watford, Blackpool, Derby should all have been won, thats 12 points chucked away that should have been taken.
Blackpool at home was the straw that broke the camels back for me, they were on and are still on a stinking stinking run and we play Green on the wing ahead of Anderson, Edwards or even Taylor and Hyam came off early and he could have moved Green inside but he brings Tabb on instead. The substitution of a cowardly frightened rabbit. And what happened? A 0-0 bore draw, you reap what you sow im afraid and Mick sows lack of ambition.

DerryfromBury added 21:23 - Mar 9

Mr McCarthy I have listened to your post match comments and like most of the fans on this forum and those real die hard supporters who travelled c500 miles to witness such an absolute dire performance it was clear, not only from the language you used but also your demeanour that you were totally disgusted with what you witnessed yesterday loosely called a football match.
Now, the big Question. As MANAGER of this once great football club what are "YOU" and "YOUR" back room staff going to do about it. I don't doubt for 1 minute as Manager you take ownership and full responsibility, but surely even you must realise these lack lustre performances are putting your own stewardship of the club in jeopardy and bringing your position and professional reputation into question. Week after week (Home Games) I'm fortunate enough to have a seat not far behind the dug out, and are continually amassed at how players completely ignore yours and TC's instructions, in spite of you shouting and ranting at them for most of the 90minutes. No one is bigger than the club and its about time some of them were given a rude awakening. I not going to attempt to tell you how to do your job, but even you must realise, the fans (some of 30+ years standing) deserve a lot better that what we have seen since mid December. Thankfully other results went our way yesterday, and all is not yet lost. All I ask is you get in there tomorrow morning and bang a few heads together, let them know they have 12 games left to try and redeem themselves in the eyes of the people who week in week out contribute to their inflated wages.
COYB

oldegold added 22:48 - Mar 9

Clearly we are going to win matches in this way: Taking the game to the opposition, playing sweeping and attacking open football, playing an attack-minded game.......hold on..I've just woken up and all I see is sterile, dull, defense-ridden, negative soccer. We are supposed to be chasing promotion and making up lost ground and we manage 1 shot in 90 minutes...ridiculous.
MM was great in keeping us up but now we need to go back to the Ipswich way of playing football with accent on home grown players. We lost our way after the play offs in 2005 and are still treading water and have lost the virtues that made us different.