Boro Click As Promotion Charge Continues

Middlesbrough    2        Wolves    1

Vossen  3 Bamford  12                                          Sako  53

 

 

Albert Adomah lay flat on the floor, there were 12 minutes still to play and Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka had just one substitute left in his hand; however Adomah was cooked and needed to be replaced. 

Patrick Bamford celebrates Boro's second goal

On came, centre back Fernando Amorebieta, Karanka’s mind-set was clear. Defend. Defend as if your life depends on it. That may have been Adomah’s last intervention but his commitment to this cause was unquestionable and as a consequence his body had deserted him.

The Ghanaian winger had been superb and one of the main reason’s Boro led this gripping encounter by 2 goals to 1 courtesy of goals from Jelle Vossen and Patrick Bamford. He had taken hit after hit blow after blow and run himself into the ground, to be fair so had the rest of his teammates and it was no surprise that they were now running off sheer fumes and encouragement from a raucous crowd.

The Riverside was bouncing, buzzing and brimming with energy as fans checked their watches, bit their finger nails before attempting to roar their team over the line and starting the process all over again. In the end it worked, just, and Karanka’s side can now look forward to at least a play-off place, if not more with three games remaining.

As the cliché goes “it takes two to tango” and Wolves played their part in what was a pivotal game at the top of the league, even so for the first twenty minutes it was Boro who well and truly dominated. The intensity was high, the passing slick and the finishing clinical; two goals up with just 11 minutes gone, starts don’t get much better than that.

Wolves may have fought and probed but in the end Bakary Sako’s second half goal proved to be in vain as Kenny Jackett’s side lost their second game in succession to drop three points outside the play-off places.

They couldn’t live with Boro early on and one can only wonder just how much energy Karanka’s high pressing, energetic game plan took out of his players considering they face promotion rivals Norwich on Friday night.

They will have to do it without Jonathan Woodgate who limped off after an hour; likewise Adomah’s condition will be monitored after he was stretchered off, Daniel Ayala didn’t even feature but this was a night for other players to stand up and make their mark.

Adam Forshaw, starting his second successive game in place of the suspended Grant Leadbitter, was outstanding, man of the match, as he acquired loose balls in midfield and rarely misplaced a pass. Jelle Vossen worked his socks, as he often does, George Friend was fired up like he was ready to do battle and that’s without mentioning the often spoke about talents possessed by Lee Tomlin and Patrick Bamford.

Karanka will know automatic promotion remains out of his side’s hands and that he will need either Bournemouth, two points ahead, or Watford, two points behind but with a game in hand to slip up somewhere. That is also providing Boro take care of Norwich, a point ahead of them, in a few days time before a trip to Fulham and a home fixture against Brighton.          

Nevertheless a surge of momentum could pave a route to promotion even if it leads to the play-offs, with that in mind Karanka made just two changes from the side which beat Rotherham on Saturday as Woodgate came in for Ayala, whose ongoing injury wasn’t risked. Upfront Vossen replaced Kike allowing Bamford to move central while Tomlin was shifted to the left.

Blink and you might have missed it, three minutes gone and the hosts were ahead. Some high pressure from Wolves early on saw them caught up field and Boro were quick spring in behind. With the visitor’s defence stretched a pass forward to Bamford appeared ominous, on the edge of the box he had time to look up and square the ball to Vossen who slotted the ball into the open net.

Eight minutes later Wolves were breached again, a fluent eye catching move saw Adomah slide a nicely weighted pass through to the on-running Tomas Kalas on the right flank, after advancing further Kalas’ low cross picked out Bamford who exquisitely flicked the ball up, turned and volleyed home with his opposite foot. That alone was worth coming to see.

Spirits were up and the fans were in good voice, it seemingly couldn’t get better. Yet it almost did on 18 minutes when Adomah demonstrated his memorising skills to skip past two players before cutting in from the right and curling a long range shot which clattered back off the crossbar.

Boro also had a faint penalty appeal turned down when Bamford appeared to be shoved over inside the area, that came before another Adomah effort was deflected wide. Wolves’ only threatened when Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopulos tipped away Sako’s corner, but at 2-0 a single goal could still swing things.

Eight minutes after the restart it did. But not after Boro had the chance to clinch a third when Kalas’s low cross from the right was jerked over the cross bar by Vossen.

This time a swift a Wolves move forward caught a couple of Boro players out of position and the visitors abruptly capitalised. A sweeping attack from right to left saw David Edwards pick out Sako, who had been Wolves’ main threat, in space and with  time to shoot he cannoned a left foot shot low past Konstantopulos.

Boro had begun to retract and needed to gain some ground back before it was too late, the loss of Woodgate and then Adomah didn’t help. Vossen was also withdrawn but substitutes Kenneth Omeruo, Emilo Nsue and Amorebieta all know their roles pulled their weight.

In an attempt to salvage something, Jackett introduced striker Nouha Dicko with half an hour to go, the visitors came closest when Rajiv van La Parra emerged at the back post to strike a hanging volley onto the bar from a right wing cross.   

Boro were now doing the majority of defending but still had chances as Tomlin flashed an effort wide before Bamford lobed Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme but hit the bar.

Another win, another tight win at that, Boro certainly don’t do things the easy way but that’s eleven wins out of twelve at home and a top two place remains in touching distance.   

Player Ratings

Dimi Konstantopulos   6- Didn’t have any difficult saves to make, got a hand to the goal

Tomas Kalas   7.5- Was a good outlet once again from right back, assisted second goal

Ben Gibson   7- Held his own and swept up danger when it arrived

Jonathan Woodgate   7- Needed to go off with half an hour remaining, was a worthy replacement for Ayala

George Friend   8- Pumped up, energetic in attack and defence, showed his passion

Adam Clayton   7.5- Picked up loose balls in midfield and broke up play well in front of back four

Adam Forshaw   8.5- Took his opportunity with both hands, rarely gave the ball away was cool under pressure and distributed the ball well, man of the match material

Albert Adomah   8.5- Was unplayable for 20 minutes, Wolves marked him a little tighter after that but he never stopped

Lee Tomlin   7.5- Made some clever moves inside from the wing to link up with midfield and cause Wolves problems

Jelle Vossen   7.5- Got goal early, worked incredibly hard as Boro applied pressure from the front

Patrick Bamford   8- Took goal very well but also rolled his sleeves up and put a shift in for the team

Subs

Kenneth Omeruo   7- Didn’t put a foot wrong after replacing Woodgate with 30 minutes to go

Emilo Nsue   6- Helpped see out danger with 16 minutes to go

Fernando Amorebieta – Only on for the last 12 minutes not enough time to give a fair rating

My Boro Man Of The Match: Adam Forshaw