BRUTAL BRITT Boro tear Millwall promotion hopes to shreds
MILLWALL’S Premier League dream is over but Middlesbrough clinched their Championship play-off place with an impressive home performance.
Neil Harris’ side knew only a victory at the Riverside could keep them in touch with the top six but goals from Boro’s record signing Britt Assombalonga and Jonny Howson all but killed off their unlikely promotion bid.
The Lions were looking to equal a club record 10th game unbeaten on the road but were always struggling once Assombalonga scored his 15th Championship goal of the season in the 12th minute.
Howson tapped in his third of the season just after the hour from a Stewart Downing cross as the Lions ran out of steam.
Their final game at home to Aston Villa next week is now effectively a dead rubber. And Boro boss Tony Pulis will now travel to Ipswich in more relaxed mood after his side won their seventh home game in eight to cement fifth place.
Assombalonga notched for the second game running after controlling a long sliced clearance from Daniel Ayala.
Mahlon Romeo then slipped in the area and the former Nottingham Forest striker recovered, turned and drilled a shot off the inside of the post after it flew between Shaun Hutchinson’s legs and out of Jordan Archer’s reach.
Middlesbrough then had enough chances to seal the game but first, Daniel Ayala was off balance when he tried to head home and then Downing wasted a good chance with a weak right-foot shot before he was denied by Hutchinson’s superb sliding block. Two minutes before half-time when Downing, Mo Besic and Traore found the route to goal blocked, George Friend could only manage to slice a half-volley wide.
Disappointing Millwall meanwhile had little to show their boss Harris (right) for the opening 45 minutes apart from two late off-target efforts at corners from Steve Morison.
His side did improve after the interval but without seriously testing Boro keeper Darren Randolph and they suffered another blow when Ben Marshall was carried off on a stretcher, having already lost full-back Romeo.
Boro always looked nervy with the one-goal lead but Howson settled the game when he tapped home Downing’s cross in the 66th minute after a mix-up between Archer and Jake Cooper. Besic should have had a penalty with six minutes remaining when he fell under Hutchinson’s challenge at the end of a long run into the area. As Pulis remonstrated with fourth official Andrew Madley, the furious Everton midfielder chased referee Paul Tierney towards the halfway line and was booked for his protests. The only disappointment for Middlesbrough was a pitch invasion involving thousands of fans on the final whistle, despite pleas prior to the game. The Teesside club put off a lap of honour as police and stewards tried to keep rival fans apart.