Middlesbrough 3 Birmingham 1
Graham 29 Huws 38
Butterfield 31
Tomlin 89
Boro recorded their third successive league victory with a
3-1 triumph over Birmingham City on a blockbuster evening at the Riverside.
 |
| Jacob Butterfield celebrates his first half volley |
The table may suggest that Aitor Karanka’s side have nothing
to play for with five games of the campaign remaining, eight points off the
play-offs with fifteen left to play for appears an unbridgeable gap even for an
optimist. Nevertheless if Boro are to challenge for a top six finish next time
around they will need more occasions and atmospheres like one last night.
For the first time in a long time there was that feel good factor
and a sense of togetherness in a stadium which is usually only half full. An
evening full of drama certainly won’t do any harm to those fans dithering
whether to renew their season cards next season.
Danny Graham’s first half goal gave Boro the lead on
twenty-nine minutes which was doubled by Jacob Butterfield’s stunning volley
moments later. Birmingham’s Emyr Huws produced his own goal of the season
contender with a 40 yard belter before half time.
What followed was by far the most action-packed and animated
half of football the Riverside crowd have seen all season. The hosts were
reduced to nine men in the remaining 10 minutes after defenders Kenneth Omeruo
and Ben Gibson were both dismissed for second bookable offences, but spurred on
by their aggrieved contingent Boro held on before substitute Lee Tomlin added a
welcome third.
"We
played with our heads and with our supporters and the players felt their
support on the pitch," said Karanka after the match. “It was a crazy game the
normal score today could have been 7-4 or 7-5 but we had the personality to win
the game with two players less and I'm very delighted.
The Boro manager made one change from the side which
beat Derby on Saturday, as Jacob Butterfield replaced Lee Tomlin as the
attacking midfielder in Karanka’s 4-2-3-1 formation. Jonathan Woodgate was fit
enough to start on the bench, after being out of action for over a month.
City boss Lee Clarke also made one change from
Birmingham’s last match, a 3-1 victory away at Doncaster; Andrew Shinnie
replaced Jordon Ibe who dropped to the bench.
Clarke had obviously told his team to press Boro high
up the pitch, which resulted in an attacking open game. The visitors had the
ball in the net after two minutes through Lee Novak’s close range finish,
however the striker was rightly flagged offside. At the other end Butterfield
tied up Nathanial Chalobaoh, confident from his goal on Saturday the Chelsea
loanee curled a dipping shot forcing City keeper Darren Randolph to tip it over
the cross bar.
Karanka was forced to make his first change after
twenty minutes when full back George Friend limped off with a groin problem. He
was replaced by Woodgate who slotted in at centre back while Ben Gibson moved
in to the vacant left back position.
The visitors continued to have more of the ball and
should have taken the lead when Shinnie released Burke on the left of the Boro
penalty area where he chipped the ball over the on rushing Boro keeper Dimi
Konstantopoulos; however he was denied by a goal line clearance from the back
tracking Kenneth Omeruo.
Boro took the lead, against the run of play, on
twenty-eight minutes. Leadbitter’s in swinging corner was headed down by Gibson
into the path of Graham who turned quickly to rifle the ball home from close
range.
Before many could draw breath Boro’s advantage was
doubled. From outside the area the ball sat up for Butterfield who cracked an
exceptional volley which looped over Randolph who could do little to prevent it going in.
However the goal of the night award went to
Birmingham’s Emyr Huws eight minutes before half time. Boro thought they had
cleared the danger from a City corner but hadn’t anticipated a moment of
brilliance from the Birmingham midfielder who from about 40 yards struck a stunning
left foot shot which flew into the top corner of the net giving Konstantopulos
no chance.
City came close to drawing level on the stroke of half
time when Shinnie connected with Callum Reilly’s cross but flicked his header
wide of the far post. The visitors were forced in into a change when Novak was
stretchered off and replaced by Nikola Zigic.
After the break it was Boro who came out firing, as
they looked to restore their two goal cushion. Graham was sent through on goal
from Albert Adomah’s pass but couldn’t beat the keeper who turned the shot over
the cross bar. Then Leadbitter’s corner was headed over by Chalobah.
It was now one way traffic in Boro’s favour.
Butterfield provided Graham with another one on one opportunity however
Randolph once again came out on top saving low down. Moments later Leadbitter
set up Luke Williams following a quickly taken free kick but he could only
blaze his shot over the cross bar.
On sixty-five minutes Williams made way for Ledesma,
who nearly ended up on the score sheet when a deflected shot fell to the Argentine
in the penalty area, but Randolph made a smart save to deny him.
Another change saw Tomlin enter the action in place of
Butterfield. Once again the impact was almost instant when his shot from the
edge of the area rebounded off the post.
With ten minutes remaining the momentum abruptly
switched, Omeruo, already booked, brought down City substitute Ibe while the
visitors launched a late counter attack. Referee Carl Boyeson deemed that the
Boro defender was the last man which resulted in his dismissal. Gibson was also
booked for an earlier challenge in the build up.
That proved decisive. Five minutes later Gibson received
a second yellow when he collided with Zigic on the edge of the Boro box and like
Omeruo he was sent off leaving the hosts with only nine while the fans let the referee
know how they felt about it.
City piled on the pressure but it was Boro who had the last
laugh on the eventful evening. A goal kick from Konstantopoulos wasn’t dealt
with by the Birmingham defenders, who collided in to each other presenting Tomlin
a one on one against Randolph, which he finished in style smashing the ball
beyond the City keeper causing the Riverside to erupt.
The chant “we’ve only got nine men” from the home fans
was more in relief than a mockery as Boro held out to claim their third straight
win.
Player
Ratings
Dimi Konstantopoulos
7.5- Made some important saves throughout the match especially late on
Jozsef Varga 8-
Kept City’s right hand side very quiet, as he snubbed out any danger at right
back
Kenneth Omeruo 6- Sent off for bringing down Ibe who was going through on goal, as he
took one for the team
Ben Gibson 5.5- Moved
to left back a looked out of place, harshly given a second yellow and sent off
George Friend
6- Replaced after 20 minutes with a groin problem
Nathaniel Chalobah
7- Imposed himself on the game more after the break when Boro dominated
Grant Leadbtter (C)
7- Provided energy in midfield and delivered some dangerous set pieces
Albert Adomah
6.5- Quiet first half saw more of the ball after half time
Luke Williams
5.5- Looked out of position on the left and struggled to have an impact
Jacob Butterfield
8- Linked up play well in attacking third and scored a stunning goal
Danny Graham
6.5- Worked hard but missed some decent chances to put the game out of
sight
Subs
Jonathan Woodgate
7.5- Came on after 20 minutes a was solid all evening
Emmanuel Ledesma
6.5- Added to Boro’s attacking threat in the second half
Lee Tomlin 7-
Looked hungry for his first Boro goal and his effort earned him just that
My Boro Man Of The Match Jacob Butterfield
No comments:
Post a Comment