Town boss Kieran McKenna had few complaints following his side’s 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough, admitting his team made too many mistakes.

Cedric Kipre’s own goal two minutes into first-half injury time - four minutes after George Hirst had seen a penalty saved by home keeper Sol Brynn - handed the Teessiders the lead, then one-time Blues target Morgan Whittaker made it 2-0 on 55.

Skipper Dara O’Shea pulled one back for Town with a header in the 76th minute, his first goal for the club, but the Blues were unable to find an equaliser.

It was a game of plenty of chances at both ends, while the Blues probably should have been awarded an earlier penalty when a Hirst shot was handled by home defender Alfie Jones.

“Probably too eventful for our liking,” McKenna said when it was put to him it was an eventful game. “I don’t have too many complaints about the result because I think we made too many mistakes to win a tough away game like this against a good team in form.

“And we also didn’t manage the difficult phases of the game well enough. In that, I mean the end of the first half when it got really chaotic.

“Of course, we had a big moment with the penalty to go 1-0 up and the night could have been really different, but you can’t go in 1-0 down from that situation, so we need to be stronger.

“And then the same at the start of the second half and in and around the second goal. It’s not like us, too easily played through, we didn’t stay together, stay strong enough defensively in that moment when it was really tough.

“Other than that, there wasn’t much in the game. We had plenty of chances through the night, Middlesbrough had chances as well. We allowed the game to be too open.

“But I feel we’ve made too many mistakes and we haven’t managed the difficult moments in the game well enough to come and get a win or a result in a place like this.”

McKenna felt the phase of play just before half-time was the defining spell: “I think the game changes completely at 1-0 and that’s been the story of our away games so far.

“I don’t think we’ve had the lead in an away game and if you go through them all we’ve had big moments in every game to go 1-0 up

“When you give the opposition and the crowd that energy, one, by missing the penalty and, two, by giving away a really poor goal right before half-time, it completely altered the game.”

Once again the Blues’ subs made an impression, Marcelino Nunez having sent over the corner which led to O’Shea’s goal, while Jack Clarke again caught the eye and Ivan Azon caused the Boro backline one or two problems.

“Subs made an impact,” McKenna reflected. “We had a really good spell where we were chasing the equaliser as well. Again, bar a couple of inches when Jack Clarke puts it across to Ivan, I’m not quite sure how it fell between the goalie’s hands and Ivan’s foot.

“We had a couple of big moments to get back to 2-2. The players were trying, they stuck at it and in the end Middlesbrough loaded up and defended their box well and we didn’t create in the last five minutes or 10 minutes, but we had a spell where we really pushed well for the goal, good impact from the bench.

“We’re going to need that, but the reality is that we can’t keep going 1-0 down away from home, it makes a tough task even tougher. We need to do more to get ourselves ahead in the game and not give anything cheap to the opposition.”

Keeper Alex Palmer was forced to make a number of outstanding saves before the break, having been called into action relatively rarely in the Blues’ games up to now.

“It was really unlike us tonight, we’ve been really tight,” McKenna continued. “Defensively, I don’t think we’ve conceded from open play since the Derby game before tonight.

“It’s unlike us. To be fair to Middlesbrough, they carried a good counter-threat all night, but we gave away too much and we needed Alex to make some saves.

“And, to be fair, they needed their goalkeeper to make some saves and for us to miss some chances as well. It was that type of game but Alex stepped up pretty well.”

McKenna confirmed that midfielder Azor Matusiwa is suspended for Tuesday’s home game against Charlton having been booked for a fifth time, one of those in the abandoned match at Blackburn Rovers.

Photo: TWTD

Bert added 23:13 - Oct 17 Fair comment from a fair manager. A lot of lessons to be learned back in the Championship but the wins will come.
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FrimleyBlue added 23:20 - Oct 17 What saves did their keeper make?
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backwaywhen added 23:36 - Oct 17 Frimleyblue One that possibly cost us the impetus to go on and win the game IMHO , but hey ho we take this on the chin and hopefully two home wins next week and this is all forgotten.
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Mariner1974 added 23:44 - Oct 17 Felt like our defence and midfield had been away to South America or Australia on international duty and just got back! that break after Norwich win hasn't worked out for us. Probably weakest game for Cajuste and Matu, so credit to Hackney and Browne for preventing them calling the shots. Momentum shifts when you miss a pen and concede a weak goal right before half time. McKenna will be livid about that.

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Broadbent23 added 00:09 - Oct 18 Manager of the Month Award has been a curse for us before. Basically after the Norwich game the players thought they could walk on water. But unfortunately we got a sinking feeling tonight. We have the Shark, now just attack with conviction.
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ottovonbismark added 00:31 - Oct 18 1 step forward, 2 steps back. Such is life with KM.
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armchaircritic59 added 00:38 - Oct 18 Hmm, after stating I thought Boro were there for the taking after seeing the team announcements, all I can say is, that went well didn't it! Not scored from open play in 4 league games away from home ( pretty much 5 if you count Blackburn ). Can barely keep a clean sheet either home or away. Remakably if we were to win our two upcoming home games that would still be 6 points in a 3 game week ( well 8 days ) which would still average you 92 points over a 46 game season. It's clear everyone needs a wake up call when we leave the confines of Portman Road. I said I wouldn't make an assessment of our " start " to the season till after 10 league games, which is after the Charlton game on Tuesday, it might make interesting reading!

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ChrisFelix added 06:41 - Oct 18 Game turned on the missed penalty & the unlucky own goal. Not sure if it was a good save or a poor penalty, but that is 2 misses in a row for Hirst. I dont think the system with Hirst leading the line is working. I recall our march to promotion happened with the more physical K Moore up front
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Len_Brennan added 07:00 - Oct 18 Middlesbrough handled us in midfield, certainly after the first 10/15 minutes, and doubled up on Philogene when they had to, thus pretty much containing us. We have no identity like we had 2 seasons ago, which is why we have depended on the individual brilliance of Philogene &, to a lesser extent, Clarke. We've spent almost £30m on 2 new right-sided attackers, and yet most fans are counting the days until Wes Burns comes back into the side from a very serious injury; sure, they both have the potential to be good players for us, but they still look to be a long way from having the impact on that side that we might have expected by now. Given the quality & combativeness of the Boro midfield - I expected Morris to start, but Browne was very effective, quitely disciplined in there alongside Hackney - I had thought that McKenna could start Nunez with Matusiwa, for more tigerish tackling, bite, consistant harrying & quality of passing as opposed to Cajuste's languid tackles & smooth ball carrying. With Szmodics having been withdrawn for the 2 Irish games, & the general sense that the central #10 hasn't really been flowing with either him or Akpom so far, I also thought it could have been the time to play Cajuste there, so as to drop into midfield to help when necessary, but mainly to carry & link between the midfield & attack, something which is notably absent this season, without a clever Chaplin type link in there. Of course this suggestion was roundly dismissed when I posted it, but I stand by it in saying that I think we would have been better against that Boro side with those changes. When we went up, we were a well-oiled, free-flowing TEAM; the movement, the passing, the hold up plays, the balls down the line out of defence, the cut-backs from the ending, the switching play to the opposite flank etc., we can all remember a number of games from those descriptions, but we're still searching for an identity with this new side of, undoubted, better footballers on papers. We need to find it pretty quickly though, because Top 2 & promotion must be the ambition.

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martin587 added 07:22 - Oct 18 Len….spot on with your assessment I agree 100%
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poet added 07:28 - Oct 18 A lot of fuss was made of their keepers penalty save, but it was struck at a good height for him to save. It was bread and butter stuff for any professional keeper. Hirst didn’t look confident during his run up. It was a game changing moment. Hirst needs to be rested from penalty taking, it’s his second miss this season. Strange performances from Cajuste and Davis, both underperformed to a point of being unrecognisable. A notable point for me was when the subs came on, it made Middlesbrough look very ordinary. McKenna is right, we gave away too much in the first half.

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itfc2024 added 07:50 - Oct 18 hirst is a poor striker he's a league 1 player at best but unfortunately mckenna has his favourites and won't drop them azon did more in 20 mins than hirst has done all season and kipre is a more toto he's slow and overplay
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Woodbridgian added 08:10 - Oct 18 Why If McKenna could see all this in the game why didn’t he change things earlier. It was obvious all the players changed at 70 minutes (and more) were having poor games yet he didn’t act earlier this stubbornness is going to be our undoing if he’s not careful.
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SpiritOfJohn added 08:32 - Oct 18 Kieran summed it up well, but he could have changed the pattern of the game by bringing on Nunez for Cajuste much earlier. Similar to last season, Cajuste looks like a Rolls Royce at times, but then only seems to have 40 minutes in the tank.
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jas0999 added 09:51 - Oct 18 9 games played and just 13 points. The away form is dreadful. Lucky the Blackburn game got abandoned otherwise it would seem even worse. With the investment there can be no excuse for just two points, three goals on the road. We lack a striker as well, as Hirst has sadly, been poor. Two home games and a six points the only acceptable outcome, considering McKenna is completely unable to muster an away performance. Edwards far too good for him last night. KM needs to do better and more flexible. It’s all so predictable.

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Dissboyitfc added 09:55 - Oct 18 Total rubbish, shocking!
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billlm added 11:10 - Oct 18 CBA to read this I'd guess same old speel,
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herfie added 11:27 - Oct 18 Many of the ‘mistakes’ KM speaks about stem from a near obsession with playing out from the back - subsequently conceding easy possession, then failing to cope with an aggressive counter. Add to the mix some players having an off day and failing to impose our game, then mistakes are inevitable. Lots to ponder, and a willingness to tweak tactics and game plans.
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NorthLondonBlue2 added 11:44 - Oct 18 Jack Clarke had some sublime moments. I would like him to get more game time - he’s earned it
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BaaBaaBlue added 12:49 - Oct 18 We're not adaptable enough. We seem totally one dimensional. If the game doesn't go how we want it to go, pretty much game over.. get our noses in front and we can usually dictate the remainder - we need a plan b, a point last night would've been a big help to us.
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Tellitasitis added 13:09 - Oct 18 George Hirst should never play for ITFC again he is just not up to it Azon was on for 25 mins and done more then Hirst has all season. 1. He can win a header. 2. He can control a football. 3. He brings others into the game. 4. Now I've not seen him yet but I bet he can score a penalty.
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poet added 13:59 - Oct 18 A few negative comments on here regarding McKenna. I certainly don’t agree that Edwards out smarted him. Just take a look at the goals and the substitutions. An own goal from Kipre, I thought he was unlucky, even the best score OG’s sometimes. Hirst’s penalty miss. No excuse, it was a poor penalty, heaping praise on their goalkeeper won’t change that. It was bread and butter stuff for any keeper. O’Shea’s goal was probably goal of the match. Great delivery, great finish. Had Hirst done what he should have, then O’Shea’s goal would have been our second. The substitutions, when McKenna made those, suddenly Middlesbrough looked an average side at best. For the last 15 minutes, they were under siege, forcing Edwards to change to a back 5 to keep us out. It was reminiscent of ‘Custer’s Last Stand’. No Edwards didn’t out smart McKenna, in the end he was just a desperate manager trying to hold on. The only criticism I’d have, was their second goal, the scorer was left totally unmarked, even I could have scored that one, and I haven’t kicked a football in anger in years. So summing up, yes until the subs came on, we were poor. Too many starting players under performed. Cut out the unfortunate own goal, and the inexcusable penalty miss, and even with a poor first half performance, we could have taken all the points home. Whether we would have deserved a win, well that doesn’t matter, the circumstances says…. We could have had it.

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pablo123 added 14:15 - Oct 18 I agree Azon is far better than hirst , he offers nothing at all
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bluesince76 added 14:29 - Oct 18 Would like to see azon and nunez start more games hirst isn't good enough to be starting and Davis to blame for the goal can't blame kipre as it took a deflection need a better sub to bring on instead of Taylor he offers nothing.
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Linkboy13 added 16:00 - Oct 18 We have nearly completed 10 games for the season and it looks like automatic promotion will be out of the question. Lacking a quality striker and no drive or creation from midfield the loss of Morsy being more evident than i ever imagined. Cajuste doesn't seem to be able to last longer than 45 minutes. We've got two of the most prolific championship scorers one can't score and the other can't even get into the team.

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