Middlesbrough 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1
Carayol 49 Antonio 35
Boro’s season has started with a stutter rather than a
strident statement to the rest of the league. One win and three draws in their
first five games is far from a disaster for Tony Mowbray and his team, however
the Boro boss will know it’s not the sort of form which achieves promotion.
With the transfer window set to close on Monday night,
Boro’s desperate need for an extra striker was again made clear in yesterdays 1-1
draw with Sheffield Wednesday, who kept Boro waiting for their first home win
of the new campaign.
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| Carayol and Adomah celebrate Boro's Equaliser |
Like at Wigan last weekend Boro’s hard fought point will feel
more like two points dropped rather than one gained, for large spells they dominated
against a Wednesday side who are still yet to experience the winning feeling
this season.
After falling behind to a Michail Antonio goal ten minutes
before half time the hosts managed to salvage a draw thanks to Mustapa Carayol’s
equaliser, but despite numerous chances they failed to convert all three points
in game they were expected to win.
Mowbray later admitted “we created enough chances to win two
or three matches but it wasn’t meant to be”
Asked about possible transfer targets the Boro boss
expressed “we are trying to get some help I can’t ask Jutkiewicz to battle through
90 minutes every week or the two wide players to run half marathons every game,
we need some reinforcements and everyone at the club is working extremely hard
to try and make that happen”
In spite of the result there were plenty of positives to
encourage Mowbray about his team’s performance, Boro were livelier and more
offensive than they’ve been for a while at the Riverside as they showed their
attacking intentions from the kick off.
Evidently inspired by his goal at Wigan last time out George
Friend was once again a key feature in the Boro attack, twice the full back
charged down the left into promising positions only for his shooting to let him
down.
At the head of Boro’s attack Lukas Jutkiewitz also looked hungry
to get on the score sheet. With just under half an hour played a ball over the
top of the Wednesday defence from Jozsef Varga found the Boro front man, whose
low shot rolled past Wednesday keeper Chris Kirkland trickling past the far
post.
Despite Boro’s early authority Kirkland was still yet to
make a save, however that changed when Grant Leadbitter’s low drive forced the
Wednesday keeper to scurry to his right preventing the game’s first goal.
Wednesday gradually grew in confidence carrying a physical threat
from set plays; their corner count began to rise winning 4 to Boro 0 and it
wasn’t long before they made one count.
Ten minutes before the break the hosts were made to pay when
an in swinging corner from the left was headed down by Kamil Zayatte into the penalty area, where the unmarked Antonio
had time to turn and lash the ball into the roof of the net.
The mood around the stadium had clearly been dampened, with
the 2,000 Wednesday fans now making a majority of the noise.
The visitors were forced to make a change when their captain
Anthony Gardner was stretchered off and replaced by Miguel Llera. But their lead
could have easily doubled when Antonio wriggled past Rhys Williams to send a
cross into the area, only for Jonathan Woodgate to make a vital interception at
the last second.
After the re-start a rejuvenated Boro again took control,
pinning Wednesday back towards their goal, Four minutes later the hosts had
their reward.
Leadbitter’s pass was pounced on by Jutkiewitz who charged
past Zayatte leaving the defender in a heap on the ground, the Boro striker
then had time to square the ball to Carayol who tucked away his first goal of
the season lifting the home fans.
The match had a different feel from that point on, as Boro
dominated the majority of what remained. Jutkiewicz had battled hard and deserved
a goal for his efforts; he couldn’t have come any closer when his hammering shot
from the edge of the area rattled the frame of the cross bar.
Minutes later Jutkiewitz was again in the centre on things
when he received the ball in the heart of the penalty area, while turning the
defender the striker’s shirt appeared to be tugged but penalty claims were
turned away by the referee sparking an unwelcome reaction from the Boro fans.
Time was running out as Boro came close again Leadbitter’s
free kick took a deflection on route to goal, wrong footing Kirkland, who
recovered well to make the save.
With twenty minutes to go Mowbray introduced Andy Haliday
and Marvin Emnes, as Boro tried everything to snatch a winner. Albert Adomah
cut in from the left to see his shot rebound off the inside of the post before
substitute Haliday glanced his header wide from Leadbitter’s free-kick.
The final few minutes were reminiscent of playground
football, as the ball quickly switched from one end to the other. Friend went
close for Boro but his long range volley was always off target, before the visitor
could have snatched the victory with a late break away, Antonio sped away from
the Boro defence but couldn’t beat the outstretched Jason Steele who saved low
to his left.
After seven agonising minutes of injury time the game was
finally up. The reaction of the Boro players said it all as they bent down;
exhausted, knowing they had missed a chance of three points.
Boro now take a two week break before their next game due to
the international break. They will resume their season on the 14th
of September away at Ipswich.
Match Ratings
Jason Steele 6.5 –
Not much to do but made crucial save in the dying minutes
Justin Hoyte 6 –
Tried to get involved in attacks but not always effective
Rhys Williams (C)
6.5 – Dealt well with few Wednesday counter attack
Jonathan Woodgate 6.5 – Read the game well limiting Wednesday
chances
George Friend 7- Got
forward well down the left, but was usually let down by his finishing
Mustapha Carayol
6.5- Posed a threat on the wing before being taken off
Grant Leadbitter 7 –
Had a few efforts from range which tested Kirkland
Josef Varga 6-
Offered little going forward
Dean Whitehead 7- Grafted well in midfield starting attacks
Albert Adomah 7-
Looked a constant threat in the first half faded a little towards the end
Lukas Jutkiewitz 7-
Battled hard with a head bandage to show for it by the end, unlucky not to
score
Subs
Marvin Emnes 6- Gave
fresh legs with 20 minutes to go but not enough to force a winner
Andy Haliday 6- Late
header his only chance 
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