Town 3-1 Middlesbrough Saturday, 14th Sep 2013 17:22 Two goals from David McGoldrick sandwiched a Luke Chambers header as the Blues came from behind to beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Portman Road. Albert Adomah put the visitors in front in the 11th minute but McGoldrick lashed in a brilliant equaliser before the break, then in the second half Chambers nodded Town in front before the Blues number 10 sealed the victory in injury time. Mick McCarthy named the expected unchanged side with keeper Dean Gerken making his home debut, while centre-half Christophe Berra and midfielders Paul Anderson and Ryan Tunnicliffe made their first starts at Portman Road. Chambers, at right-back, wore the captain’s armband. Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray included ex-Town skipper Grant Leadbitter, who was to be booed by his old fans, in the centre of his midfield. Chances were rare in a scrappy early phase with neither side gaining control. In the eighth minute Aaron Cresswell lashed a 30-yard freekick well wide. The visitors went ahead from the game’s first significant penalty area action. David McGoldrick headed a corner from the right to the edge of the Blues area where Leadbitter sent it back in and Albert Adomah acrobatically turned it on into the net for his first Boro goal after his summer move from Bristol City. Aside from a few corners the Blues hadn’t really threatened but as the game reached the 20-minute mark they began to get their passing going and were pushing for an equaliser. First Cresswell’s left-wing cross was blocked just ahead of Frank Nouble, then McGoldrick played in Paul Anderson on the right of the area, Jonathan Woodgate blocking the midfielder’s strike at goal. On 25 one-time Town target Dean Whitehead was booked for a cynical foul on McGoldrick as the Blues broke. Town got back on terms in the 34th minute via McGoldrick’s second goal of the season, and what a strike it was. The former Forest man tricked his way past Whitehead 25 yards out before slamming a shot across keeper Jason Steele and into the net. The goal was similar to the one he scored against Leeds last month, although probably slightly bettering it. The Blues remained on top for a spell after the goal, McGoldrick played in Nouble on the right on 38 but the linesman raised his flag for offside, moments before the Town number 10 was clattered on the edge of the box. On 41 Nouble had the ball in the net but referee James Linington adjudged that the Blues striker had committed a foul. As the half moved into injury time Mustapha Carayol cut a cross back from the left as the visitors broke, but Tommy Smith, who scored twice in last season’s corresponding fixture, cut it out. Just before the whistle, Anderson crossed from the right and Chambers hit a shot on the turn but too close to Steele. The scoreline was a fair reflection of the first 45 minutes with both sides having spells on top but without overly impressing or creating too many chances. The goals were probably better than the half deserved with McGoldrick’s strike better than his similar effort against Leeds in the last home game. Nouble was replaced with Daryl Murphy at the break, the Irishman immediately winning an aerial ball, something the ex-Wolves man hadn’t been able to do as regularly as McCarthy would have wanted. The Blues began the period brightly and within a couple of minutes of the restart Tunnicliffe forced Steele into a save to his left with a powerful strike from the edge of the box. Murphy headed a Cresswell freekick from deep straight at Steele on 48, then McGoldrick was flagged offside when played in on goal midway inside the Teessiders’ half. The visitors began to look the more threatening side, George Friend making a strong run forward, the Blues eventually getting the ball away from the edge of the box. Then, soon after, Smith blocked a strike from Carayol. But on 57 it was the Blues who would go in front. Tunnicliffe laid the ball back to Cresswell on the left and the full-back sent in a deep first-time cross which unmarked skipper Chambers headed back across Steele and into the net for his first goal of the season. Two minutes after the goal Murphy flicked the ball on for McGoldrick to chase but his first touch was too heavy under pressure from Woodgate. Boro swapped Whitehead and Carayol for new signing Kei Kamara and Marvin Emnes just after the hour. Emnes was immediately into the action, Gerken coming off his line quickly to claim at the striker’s feet. Soon after, Chambers was booked for a foul on Adomah. Carlos Edwards replaced Anderson as the Blues went looking for a third goal. On 70 a McGoldrick shot was deflected wide after good work from Tunnicliffe, Cresswell and Murphy. From the corner, Tunnicliffe’s strike was diverted behind for another flagkick. Boro sub Kamara, making his debut for his new club, shot over in the 72nd minute after a short spell of visitors’ pressure before Berra headed a Cresswell freekick from the left well over at the far post. McGoldrick tried to improve on his earlier goal in the 74th minute with a superb 30-yard effort which flew just wide of Steele’s left post. Town continued to press with McGoldrick and Murphy interchanging cleverly. The Irishman just overhit a pass for Tunnicliffe on the edge of the area on 75, then Hyam found Steele’s gloves with a chipped cross having done well to get to the byline. The Blues continued to press and looked by far the more likely scorers. On 82 Hyam should have sealed it when McGoldrick played in Murphy on the left. The Irishman sent in a low ball which Hyam rushed and missed completely from eight yards. Jay Tabb replaced the again impressive Tunnicliffe for the final 84th minute, then Kamara shot straight at Gerken before Hyam was booked for a foul on Jacob Butterfield. On 88 Adomah headed a Kamara cross over. With the game in injury time and with Boro pushing for an equaliser, McGoldrick made it 3-1. The excellent Murphy played in his strike partner on the left and the Blues number 10 brought the ball in on goal before slipping it past Steele. Late on Lukas Jutkiewicz headed to Gerken but there was no way back for the Teessiders, who haven’t won at Portman Road since 1993. After an even and not overly exciting first half, the Blues took the game to the visitors from the start of the second half and deserved to win by the margin of two goals. Once Chambers had put Town in front, Mick McCarthy’s men ought to have had the result done and dusted before McGoldrick, who formed a far more potent strike partnership with the outstanding Murphy after the break, netted his second of the afternoon. After Town’s slow start to the season, Tuesday’s second home game in a few days against Yeovil gives McCarthy’s men a good chance to add to today’s three points and to push on up the table. Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson (Edwards 68), Skuse, Hyam, Tunnicliffe (Tabb 84), McGoldrick, Nouble (Murphy 46). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Wordsworth, Taylor. Middlesbrough: Steele, Friend, Williams, Richardson, Butterfield, Leadbitter, Jutkiewicz, Whitehead (Kamara 63), Carayol (Emnes 63), Adomah, Woodgate. Unused: Leutwiler, Hoyte, Halliday, Gibson, Smallwood. Referee: James Linington (Newport IoW). Att: 15,276 (Boro: 472)
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