Middlesbrough 2 Huddersfield 0
Tomlin 61, 90+4
It’s quite astounding just how many emotions a crowd can go
through in the space of four added minutes. Agony, hope, elation and that’s not
all the Boro fans experienced in the time between the fourth official holding
up his board and the referee’s full time whistle.
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| Lee Tomlin celebrates his two goals |
It took until the fourth of those prolonged minutes for Lee
Tomlin to finally put the game beyond any doubt with his second goal of the
match stretching Boro’s unbeaten run to four league games after victory over Huddersfield
Town.
Nevertheless don’t be fooled on what may look a convincing
2-0 victory, moments earlier Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopulos had been forced to
make a series of outstanding saves before Daniel Ayala cleared off the line, a
comfortable home win this was not.
Boro were not at their brimming best and this was no
question a level below the sort of home performances displayed against the likes
of Derby and Norwich, however, with the end of the season moving into sight it’s
now simply a case of any win will do.
In the overall assessment Aitor Karanka should take the
positives going into Tuesday night’s game against Cardiff. For starters his
side have ended a mini goal drought after failing to register at Blackburn and
Reading, the defence once again looked solid and for a good part of 80 minutes
Boro were worthy of their 1-0 lead as they chipped away at a Huddersfield side
content to defend for large spells.
“It was another tough game but we can’t keep suffering in
the way we suffered when we have had chances to score two or three in the first
half” said Karanka after the game. “We won and it was an important three
points. I’m very pleased because we kept going to the end, but we could have
done it before then”
“Now we have to think about Tuesday (against Cardiff), but
I’m very pleased with my players because they were brilliant.”
The chances Karanka were referring to could have been a
major talking point if Boro had failed to take all three points, strikers
Patrick Bamford and Kike went another game without scoring, the latter hasn’t
found the net since early December.
The Boro side showed three changes from the side which was
held to a goalless draw at Reading last weekend. In attack Kike and Lee Tomlin
were recalled to replace Jelle Vossen and Adam Reach who both dropped to the bench,
while Bamford was shifted over to the right wing. Adam Clayton also returned to
face his former club following his one game suspension, with Dean Whitehead
making way.
Huddersfield made just the single change from the team which
won at home to Watford last Saturday. Jonathan
Hogg came into midfield where he lined up alongside ex-Boro player Jacob Butterfield.
The opening exchanges belonged to Boro and with just five
minutes gone Kike saw his low shot from the edge of the area rebound off the
post, four minutes later Leadbitter released Bamford through on goal but his
touch was heavy due to the pressure from Huddersfield keeper Alex Smithies.
The visitor’s game plan was clearly to stay tight at the
back and try to hit Boro on the counter attack, but on 17 minutes they nearly
fell behind again when George Friend sent a header wide from Leadbitter’s
inviting corner.
After 23 minutes Huddersfield manager Chris Powell was
forced into an early change when striker James Vaughan had to come off injured,
Oscar Gorburn took his place. In the 36th minute the Riverside stood
in unity with a minutes applause for Boro fan Craig "Spuggy" who
recently lost his battle with cancer.
For the majority of the half Boro’s football was patient but
lacked a cutting edge to open the scoring. It took until the start of the
second half for them to reapply any serious pressure, seconds after the restart
Bamford cut the ball back to Kike who wasted a golden opportunity, minutes
later Tomlin fired over from the edge of the box.
Butterfield was by far Town’s biggest threat and was finding
space in front of Boro’s backline. Nevertheless it was the hosts who took the
lead just after the hour mark when Kike teed up Tomlin on the edge of the area
and the Boro playmaker fired the ball past Smithies who stood little chance.
It was unsurprising Huddersfield’s response came through
Butterfield whose vicious effort from range forced a spectacular save from Boro
keeper Dimi Konstantopulos. At the other end Smithies parried away Adomah’s
effort from a tight angle.
With ten minutes to go it was Boro who began to hang on for dear
life and were only saved by the width of the post when Nahki Wells cut in from
the right and was allowed to shoot unchallenged.
Karanka introduced Vossen and Reach to the action to try to weather
the storm but in the final few minute’s things became frantic. Konstantopulos
was forced to make two vital saves, the second a stinging shot from Gorburn
which arrived through a crowd of player. Moments later Ayala became the last-gasp
hero when he cleared off the line following a Huddersfield counter attack.
But it was to be Boro’s day, they broke away in the dying
seconds after Smithies had gone up for Huddersfield corner, Tomlin led the
charge and with time to spare he rolled the ball into the unguarded net. Relief
at last for the Riverside crowd who will do it all again against Cardiff on
Tuesday night.
Player Ratings
Dimi Konstantopulos
8- Won the points in the last few minutes with some top saves
Tomas Kalas 6.5- Got
into some good areas but at times his crossing let him down
Daniel Ayala 8- Didn’t
put a foot wrong all game and put his body on the line on numerous occasions
Ben Gibson 7- Made
some good interceptions early on
George Friend 6.5-
Was a threat going forward in the first half
Adam Clayton 7-
Swept up the danger well in midfield
Grant Leadbitter
6.5- Battled away as Boro pushed for a breakthrough
Albert Adomah 5.5- Was
a peripheral figure for most of the game
Patrick Bamford 6-
Enjoyed more success when he was moved to the centre
Lee Tomin 7.5-
Proved to be the match winner after great strike
Kike 6- Struggled to
have an impact for large spells
Subs
Adam Reach 6- Came
on for the last 18 minutes to add fresh legs
Jelle Vossen – Came on for the last 7 minutes not enough
time to give a fair rating
My Boro Man Of The Match : Daniel Ayala
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