Middlesbrough 4 Doncaster 0
Adomah 7 35
Kamara 67
Ayala 82
After all it’s been through in the recent weeks and months
the spirit of Teesside is still burning strong.
Despite the tough times at the Riverside which have led to the
sacking of manager, club legend and lifelong Boro fan Tony Mowbray, the fans were
still quick to show their love and desire for their town and team on a night
where pride, passion and excitement were all rolled into one.
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| Boro's new formed attack could be a real asset for the new manager |
For the first time in a while you could be proud to say you’re
from Teesside. Proud to see the banner of the transporter bridge before kickoff,
proud to see the Riverside bouncing with over 21,000 inside, but most of all proud
to see a demolishing victory.
As a fan no one would have enjoyed last night’s 4-0 triumph
over Doncaster more than Mowbray himself, but as a manager he must wonder why
the same players didn’t perform like that when he was in the dugout.
Two first half goals from Albert Adomah got the vibrant show
started before Kei Kamara and new loan signing Daniel Ayala added their names
to the score sheet after the interval.
It was a result which certainly stated a claim for current
caretaker boss Mark Venus to take the vacant manager’s job full time, however
there may be a few more candidates interested after watching last night’s performance.
Venus, who has been Mowbray’s assistant at all of his previous
jobs, made no hesitation in stamping his own mark on the team making six
changes from last week’s embarrassing 3-2 defeat at Barnsley.
In came Rhys Williams, Jonathan Woodgate, Richard Smallwood
Mustapha Carayol and Marvin Emnes along with Ayala who signed a 93 day loan
deal from Norwich earlier this week.
Seb Hines, George Friend, Jacob Butterfield and Lukas
Jutkiewicz all dropped to the bench where they were joined by Curtis Main who
has just returned from a loan spell at Shrewsbury. Frazer Richardson and Dean
Whitehead were the other casualties as they missed out all together.
There was also an evident change to the Boro system as they
set up to play 4-4-2 with Carayol and Adomah operating the wings while Emnes
linked up with Kamara as a front two.
Doncaster’s team showed just one change from their defeat at
Reading last time out, Richie Wellens was suspended so replaced by Theo
Robinson, while in goal Ross Turnbull made his first return to Boro since
leaving in 2009.
Following the week’s events it was a nervy but energetic
start as the half price ticket offer resulted in an attendance of 21,882, Boro’s
highest in the league since Boxing Day.
However it was the visitors who earned themselves the
opening chance when a mix up in the Boro defence allowed the ball to fall at
the feet of James Coppinger, but with a clear sight of goal his low shot failed
to hit the target.
Boro’s attack force showed plenty of promise and with only
seven minutes played they had taken the lead.
Kamara received the ball mid way inside his own half before
sending a perfectly measured pass over the top of the defence towards Adomah.
The Ghanaian international reacted shapely to beat the defenders to the loose
ball then with Turnbull slightly off his line, Adomah produced the calmest of finishes
looping the ball over the stranded keeper from the edge of the area where it
dipped into the net.
The hosts bided their time picking their moments to get
forward. On the left Carayol’s direct runs were causing Doncaster all sorts of
problems, on sixteen minutes he cut inside on to his favoured right foot;
however his low effort was denied by Turnbull who palmed the ball away.
Conditions were made tricky as the rain began to lash down however
Boro soaked up the growing Doncaster pressure. The visitor’s only shot on
target came in the form of a speculative effort from full back Reece Wabara whose
long range shot from the edge of the area flew straight into the gloves of Jason
Steele.
It remained a buoyant atmosphere as Boro posed the bigger
threat going forward. On 23 minutes Kamara made a powerful leap to connect with
Carayol’s cross however he couldn’t steer his header on target.
Minutes later Boro strung together another well worked move,
but when Emnes teed off Carayol in the Doncaster penalty area he could only
fire over the cross bar.
It took until the 35th minute but Boro finally
doubled their advantage, Carayol once again charged down the left before laying the
ball back to Smallwood who had took up the space in midfield, with plenty of
time he swung the ball into the box where it was met by the diving header from
Adomah which cannoned into the ground before bouncing over Turnbull and into
the roof of the net.
Doncaster should have pulled one back on the stroke of half
time when captain Rob Jones failed to make contact with the ball from a teasing
corner.
However Boro could have been out of
sight when Kamara slipped the ball through to Carayol however he was denied by the outstretched Turnbull.
At half time the fans were treated to a performance by last year’s
X factor winner James Arthur, who was given a warm reception.
After the break Williams was fortunate he didn’t turn Mark
Duffy’s free kick into his own net, as the ball bounced off the Aussie's shin before
going for a corner.
Boro gradually clawed back their authority, Ayala’s header
had to be cleared off the line by Jones but it wasn’t long before the hosts
wrapped up a third.
Leadbitter’s free kick mid way inside the Doncaster half
floated towards the far post where Kamara was on hand to tuck the ball past
Turnbull sealing the game and sparing a nervy climax.
The visitors missed the chance to salvage a consolation goal
when substitute Chris Brown’s header ten minutes from time rebounded off Steele’s
far post.
Boro’s fourth was ominous and nearly came when Emnes received
the ball from Carayol in the area however the Dutch forward couldn’t beat Turnbull.
The night was completed with eight minutes remaining; an in
swinging corner from Leadbitter was powered into the net from Ayala’s header
who hustled off the crowd of defenders to mark a debut goal.
After making an admitted “tough decision” to sack his
manager, chairman Steve Gibson will hope the man he appoints in the coming weeks
can produce more victories like last night.
Whoever gets the job still has
plenty of work to do, but one thing’s for sure the role definitely looks a lot more
appealing than it did a week ago.
Player Ratings
Jason Steele 6-
Wasn’t required to make any top class saves, still looked a little shaky when
dealing with crosses
Ben Gibson 6-
Unfamiliar position of left back but coped well
Jonathan Woodgate (C)
7- Took up good positions to snub out Doncaster danger
Daniel Ayala 7.5- Looked
comfortable at the back, capped of Boro debut with a powerful headed goal
Rhys Williams 6-
became more adventurous as the game went on, occasionally got caught out of
position at right back
Richard Smallwood 7.5-
Worked continuously in midfield, cross picked out Adomah for second goal
Grant Leadbitter
7.5- Kept the midfield ticking through work rate and variety of passing
Mustapha Carayol
7.5- Created plenty of chances with Direct runs at the defence in the
first half
Albert Adomah 8.5- Two
well taken goals, never stopped charging forward down the right
Marvin Emnes 8-
Found pockets of space in front of the Doncaster defence to cause them plenty
of problems
Kei Kamara 7.5-
Linked up well with other forwards, continues to look a goal threat
Subs
Players were not on the pitch long enough to give a fair
score
Jacob Butterfield- Came on with 8 minutes to go to sure up
the midfield
Curtis Main- Made his return for the last few minutes after
loan spell at Shrewsbury
Jozsef Varga- Replaced Adomah in the last minute as the Ghanaian
received a standing ovation
My Boro Man Of The Match Albert Adomah
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