Back To Winning Ways

Middlesbrough   3    Huddersfield   0

                                McDonald  28  85
                                Ledesma  66


What a difference a couple of days can make, last Saturday brought a flat feeling amongst Boro fans following a shock defeat to Bristol City, but just three nights later a convincing victory over playoff chasing Huddersfield has revived optimism amongst supporters, again hopeful of a promotion campaign .

On a night where the awful weather could have easily turned fans away, the 2 games for 1 ticket offer from the weekend’s game lured another 20,000 plus crowd who were not sent home disappointed.

Another top performance from Ledesma

Despite their dissimilar league positions Huddersfield posed a far weaker threat than that of Bristol on Saturday, as Boro dominated from start to finish. Two goals from Scott McDonald either side of Emmanuel Ledesma’s fantastic free kick capped an enjoyable night for the fans as their side returned to third in the table.

Tony Mowbray made four changes from Saturday’s game including surprise selections Andy Haliday and Richard Smallwood both making their first league starts of the season. McDonald and Nicky Bailey also came in as Marvin Emnes, Ishmael Miller and Stewart Parnaby all dropped to the bench with Grant Leadbitter suspended, however the fresh legs appeared to give the team a lift.

The torrential down pour provided some scrappy periods in the game early on, as Boro tried to give their fans something to shout about in the tough conditions. Haliday’s striving run led to a dangerous free kick, which rippled the side netting when took by Ledesma.

Overall Boro looked more of a unit than on Saturday, as players showed positive gestures to each other and covered for their team mates in an all round better environment.

The stalemate was soon broken as Boro were provided an opening on twenty-eight minutes. Justin Hoyte took advantage of space on the right, as he launched a run towards the opposition penalty area. His path was halted but he still managed to find Lukas Jutkiewitz whose low cross was met by McDonald as the striker squeezed his shot under keeper Alex Smithies.

The hosts could have gone two clear before half time when another Jutkiewitz cross took a wicked deflection off Huddersfield defender Peter Clarke forcing a brilliant save from his keeper who turned the ball onto the bar. No Boro players were even in the box.

As the first half came to a close Boro’s deserved lead was nearly cancelled out after Huddersfield’s Scott Arfield was allowed too much space in midfield, his long range effort was dipping towards the Boro goal, forcing the back tracking Jason Steele to tip it over the bar.

The visitors created a rare opportunity at the start of the second half, only for Lee Novak to fire his shot wide. However it was Jutkiewitz’s name which should have appeared on the score sheet, as he wriggled away from the defence but was indecisive in front of goal as his shot was blocked by Smithies.

The game entered a quiet spell where few chances were created needing a moment of quality, and that’s exactly what it got with 66 minutes played a foul on Ledesma, who was effective all game on the right, brought a promising free kick. From there the Argentine curled his left foot shot over the wall beating Smithies, who could only parry the ball into his own net, sending the crowd ecstatic.

Jutkiewitz was close to adding a third when his powerful header was brilliantly saved by the Smithies at full stretch. But with five minutes remaining Boro were still able to inflict their biggest win at the Riverside this season. Smallwood’s cross from the left was headed down by Jutkiewitz towards McDonald in space who smashed the ball against the ground into the roof of the net.

The win means Boro go third in the table three points off first place Cardiff. With their next game a trip to Birmingham on Friday.

Player Ratings

                                                                                                                   

Jason Steele   7.5– Not much to do, made important save before half time to keep his side 1-0 up

Justin Hoyte   7- His pace was a threat going forward which led to first goal, little to do in defence

Andre Bikey    7- Opposition didn’t cause many problems for the defender

Seb Hines   6.5- Looked a little shaky in recent games, but still played his part to get the clean sheet

Andy Haliday   7- Surprise choice at left back but looked good going forward in a unfamiliar position to him    

Richard Smallwood   7- Provided cover at left back when Haliday went forward, and linked up well in midfield

Josh McEachran   8- Comfortable on the ball, showing quality when the game got scrappy

Nicky Bailey (C)   7.5- Controlled midfield with leadership and tackling   

Emmanuel Ledesma   8- Brilliant free kick gave Boro a two goal cushion, as his crosses and tricks caused problems all game

Scott McDonald    8- Clinical in front of goal, now scored 7 goals in all competitions

Lukas Jutkiewitz   6.5- Good in the air, but a bit indecisive when he had chances to score   

   

Bristol Exploit Boro Blip

Middlesbrough   1       Bristol City   3

                         Miller  35                            Adomah  13

                                                                                            Pearson  62

                                                                                               Davis  88 

A sense of disbelief left the Riverside with the Boro fans today, following an unexpected lacklustre performance against Championship strugglers Bristol City.     

Boro, who were looking to rebound from their defeat to Cardiff last week, looked to have steered back on track when Ismael Miller cancelled out Albert Adomah’s early strike. But in foggy conditions the hosts struggled to produce their best football, as goals from Stephen Pearson and Steven Davies sealed back to back defeats, something almost unthinkable a few weeks ago .

The Boro side showed three changes from their last outing, as George Friend and Faris Haroun were both sidelined with injuries. While joint top scorer Scott McDonald was sacrificed, starting on the bench. Miller, Marvin Emnes and Stewart Parnaby were the trio to replace them.

Adomah was a threat all game

The hosts started the brighter in the opening ten minutes, but it was Bristol who took a shock lead, when Joe Bryan got the better of Parnaby on the left wing before he picked out Adomah inside the area who tucked his shot under the body of keeper Jason Steele.

Boro were creating the better chances, the best one falling to Lukas Jutkiewitz who miss timed his header when he was found in space from Miller’s cross.

But the visitors, especially Adomah, looked a threat on the break all afternoon, however they failed to capitalise on some careless defending when Pearson again had time in the Boro box, failing to hit the target, as he fired his shot over the bar.      

Bristol were later made to regret that chance, as Boro drew level ten minutes from half time. An in swinging corner from Leadbitter wasn't dealt with, before the ball dropped to Miller who added his third goal of the season as Boro looked to push on.

During half time the thick fog closed in providing some difficult conditions for the second half. Both teams struggled to retain the ball in the opening minutes, but then came the moment of controversy. Another corner from Leadbitter took a deflection over the keeper appearing to cross the line, however the officials let play go on to the outburst from the Boro fans towards the north stand. 

The resulting break from City nearly turned the tables when a good move came to Adomah whose shot rebounded off the cross bar, while the Boro players were still appealing to the referee. 

More casual defending from Boro allowed Person to cut inside of defender Seb Hines, before the winger’s low left foot shot beat Steele at the far post to the silence of the home crowd.

Mowbray introduced McDonald and Luke Williams up front to try and find a way back into the game, but frustration only grew as the crowd inflicted their anger at the officials while Emanuel Ledesma and Andre Bikey were both booked for dissent.

Long range efforts from Emnes and substitute Kevin Thompson were the closest Boro came. But the game was sealed two minutes from time when Adomah breezed past Hoyte to find Davis in space who curled the ball past Steele causing the fans to head for the exit.

The result means Boro slip to fourth in the table as they will hope to improve for another home game with Huddersfield on Tuesday.

Struggled to rate any of the Boro players higher than a 6 this week. No one really stood out

I would give man of the match to Albert Adomah

Stepanek Stuns Spain In Davis Cup Thriller

Spain’s depth of world class players in men’s tennis proved not enough to claim a second successive Davis cup, as they were denied by an energetic Czech Republic team in front of their home fans at a deafening O2 area in Prague.

The anticipated final came down to the deciding 5^th rubber, where against all odds Czech number two Radek Stepanek produced one of the match’s of his life to see off Spain’s Nicolas Almagro ranked 26 places above him.

Stepanek was the better player on the day

At 33 this was probably going to be one of Stepanek’s last chances to play in such a big occasion, but  the Czech more than rose to it with a 6-4 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 victory over Almagro and while Czechoslovakia won the title in 1980, this was the Czech Republic's first victory as an independent nation.

At home the Czech’s held a 2-1 lead going in to the final day’s plays but the Spanish were soon level thanks David Ferrer, convincingly beating Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-3 7-5 to force a final match.

 Six year younger Almagro went into the decider as the clear favorite  but nerves were sure to play a significant factor. Despite looking the more likely to clinch the opening break the Spaniard struggled to find his best tennis at the start, as Stepanek continued to approach the net asking questions of his opponent’s passing shots.

Serving first Stepanek always had his nose in front in the first set, while Almagro struggled with his execution making numerous errors. The Czech crowd started to believe in the tenth game when Stepanek’s aggressive returns brought a set point which was taken immediately.

The second set proved pivotal, as Almagro started to play more freely, before steeling a break in the fifth game. However just when the match seemed to be turning Stepanek struck back, as a combination of the Czechs pressure and nervy errors from Almagro helped recover the break leveling at 4-4.

The set headed for a tie break where again Stepanek surprisingly dominated from the baseline, as he raced through the breaker without dropping a point, by far the more focused and relaxed of the two.

With nothing to lose Almagro again loosened up in the third set, reading the Czech’s game better than before playing his best tennis of the match.

Despite chances Stepanek failed to convert any of three break points in the opening game of the set, before Almagro made the breakthrough.

A single break of serve was enough for Almagro to take the third set, but with the crowd still right behind him Stepanek was still in the ascendancy  Back in the match, the pressure again hindered Almagro as Stepanek raced into a 3-0 lead at the start of the fourth.

Interference from the animated crowd frustrated the Spanish camp, but Stepanek always remained calm retaining the break as he converted his second match point to the eruption of noise from the 13,000 Czech fans.

Packed Crowd See Boro Move Top

Middlesbrough  3   Sheffield Wednesday  1

                                   Hoyte  13                                                 Madane  48

                                   Miller  60

                             Jutkiewitz  76

 

“We are top of the league” echoed around the Riverside stadium on a special Friday night for the Middlesbrough players and fans, after Boro catapulted themselves to the top of the Championship table with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday under an astonishing atmosphere.

Hoyte's goal put Boro in control

The hosts didn’t disappoint in front of a packed crowd of 28,229 lured by half price tickets and an incredible run of form, the highest attendance since May 2009 against Manchester United in their last season in the premier league.

Upbeat the supporters were given early belief after 13 minutes following a rare goal from Justin Hoyte, and although an equaliser from Sheffield’s Garry Madane threatened to spoil the party, Boro were not to be denied when goals from Ishmael Miller and substitute Lukas Jutkiewitz made it nine games unbeaten in all competitions.

Boro’s line up showed five changes from the team that drew with Nottingham Forrest in mid-week with Justin Hoyte, Jonathan Woodgate, Emanuel Ledesma, Ishmael Miller and Marvin Emnes all returning to an attack minded side.

The Riverside was rocking from the start as the ground exploded into life following the minute’s silence for Remembrance Day. Boro tried to impose themselves early on when back to back corners from Grant Leadbitter were unconvincingly dealt with by Wednesday keeper Chris Kirkland.

The visitors began the game with five in midfield as they happily sat behind the ball in the early exchanges. However after some patient play from Tony Mowbray’s side in wasn't long before the deadlock was broken when Ledesma placed a well weighted ball down the right hand side for the on running Hoyte, who fired a stunning effort into the roof of the net to the roar of the crowd.

As the game began to settle few clear cut chances were created, Leadbitter’s free kick forced a firm save from Kirkland while at the other end Boro keeper Jason Steele was more than equal to Jay Bothroyd’s effort from the edge of the area.

Midfielder Josh McEachran has played all but one of Boro’s league games this season and the nineteen year old on loan from Chelsea nearly added his first goal for the club after he cleverly wriggled though the opposition defense but was eventfully squeezed out as the ball was smothered by the keeper.

Wednesday could have gone in level at the break when Miguel Llera slid his attempt inches wide from a corner as he failed to capitalize from the space gifted to him at the far post.

But three minutes into the second half the scores were leveled after the ball was delivered into the Boro box and chested down by Michail Antonio to the goal scorer Madane who finished well, however replays  showed the player two yards offside despite Mowbray’s protests.

Back came Boro twelve minutes later, Ledesma again involved when his smart turn opened up the play before another decisive pass found McDonald who tucked the ball beyond the keeper, only for Miller to steal the glory tapping it over the line.

It was just the lift the fans needed following a spell of trouble for their side, as the immense crowd could again be heard silencing the Wednesday supports whose torments hadn't lasted long.

Boro were spared the agony when Leadbitter, whose deliveries had been a threat all night, delivered an in swinging corner which was met by a perfectly timed run by Jutkiewitz powering his header goal bound sealing the game and three points for Boro.

That allowed the fans to relax in the closing minutes with the Riverside bouncing which has not been the case for a long time, the win moved Boro briefly top of the table before it was retaken by Crystal Palace, but Mowbray’s team now have a week to recover before a tricky trip to Cardiff next Saturday.   

Player Ratings

Jason Steele   7- Reliable when called upon, seems to be having less to do which is a credit to defence

 Justin Hoyte   8- Stunning goal pace was a threat all game as he combined well with Ledesma

Andre Bikey   7.5- Solid at the back winning the headers and loose balls

Jonathan Woodgate (C)   7- Unfortunately forced off at half time looked very reliable showing experience

George Friend   7- Tried to get forward when he could coped well defensively

Emanuel Ledesma   8- Big contribution to first two goals, threat going forward while seeing out defensive duties

Grant Leadbitter   8- Set pieces were dangerous all night controlled a lot of the game in midfield

Josh McEachran   7.5- Moved the ball well enjoyed spells of Boro possession  

Scott McDonald   7- Worked hard more effective in second half when moved more central

Marvin Emnes   6- Looked a little short of match fitness after missing a few games

Ishmael Miller   6.5- Got second goal, and his strength continues to pose a threat 

Subs

Seb Hines 6.5- Replaced Woodgate at half time, assured at the back

Lukas Jutkiewitz   7- Looks back to full fitness after a short time out, scored third which secured the game

Faris Haroun   6- Unlucky not to start Came on with 17 minutes providing fresh legs