Mcnair’s leveller a point against Late on earns Boro boss’ old side City
RIVERSIDERS END CARDIFF’S UNBEATEN RUN
THE POSITIVE
The fact Boro managed to rescue something from this game.
Cardiff, on the back of three clean sheets in their last six games – all of which were wins – are the toughest of nuts to break down under Mick Mccarthy and for the most part in the second half were comfortable, despite Boro’s possession and territory.
But Boro stuck at it, they pushing and probing and got reward.
THE NEGATIVE
kept their
Neil Warnock will have spent the week warning his players about the Cardiff threat from set-pieces and long throws, so to concede such a soft goal will have been hard for the boss to take, especially after Boro had been the better side in the opening period.
THE VERDICT
Boro are still in it. Just. Defeat to Cardiff wouldn’t have completely ended Boro’s top six hopes but boy would it have been tough for Neil Warnock’s side.
The gap to the top six has grown and Boro are trying to catch in-form sides, but they’re still hanging on.
After the Bristol City shocker, Boro’s response was spirited against the division’s form team and defeat would have been harsh and hard to take.
The manner of the draw will buoy the dressing room, but it needs to be the springboard for three points at Coventry in midweek.
PADDY Mcnair’s late equaliser for Middlesbrough in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside prevented Mick Mccarthy’s Cardiff from winning a seventh straight match under him.
In a game starved of clear-cut opportunities, particularly in the second half, Mcnair’s leveller with eight minutes remaining cancelled out Sean Morrison’s 37th-minute opener for Cardiff.
Mccarthy’s unbeaten start to life at the Welsh club was extended to nine matches, but that was not enough to climb back into the play-off places and they dropped to eighth.
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock, who left Cardiff after three years in November 2019, will be slightly happier his men prevented a fifth defeat from six matches at home with Mcnair’s goal.
Unchanged Cardiff’s fine form under Mccarthy must have filled them with plenty of confidence going to the north-east.
But ninth-placed Middlesbrough, struggling of late, had the better of the first-half chances until the opener went in.
In fact, once Middlesbrough goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli had got down to his left to make a strong save from Will Vaulks’ early free-kick, Cardiff spent much of the opening period on the back foot.
While Anfernee Dijksteel did a fantastic job in following Cardiff’s dangerous Josh Murphy everywhere, the men in red found space easier to find at the other end.
Once Mcnair had drilled a free-kick from the edge of the box just wide after Marcus Tavernier was tripped by Morrison, Middlesbrough could count themselves unlucky not to be ahead.
Cardiff goalkeeper Dillon Phillips, by rushing out to beat Britt Assombalonga to a couple of poor back passes, spared Vaulks’ blushes twice.
Those were before Phillips had to be equal to an
Assombalonga shot towards his bottom corner after Jonny Howson’s threaded pass in behind the defence, while Dael Fry headed a cross wide.
But Vaulks, moments after he was cautioned for a late tackle on Tavernier, turned provider at the right end with eight minutes remaining of the opening half.
His long throw dropped into a crowded area and Morrison managed to flick his header inside Bettinelli’s far post to edge Cardiff in front.
After the restart, Cardiff were happy to soak up plenty of pressure and prevented Middlesbrough from really testing Phillips again.
In fact, there was a lack of chances at both ends, with neither side showing the sort of creativity required to unlock the defences.
In a bid to make things happen, Warnock brought on Marvin Johnson and Neeskens Kebano for the final 20 minutes. Chuba Akpom and Djed Spence followed 10 minutes later.
Those attacking changes had the desired effect. Kebano’s cross was not dealt with by ex-middlesbrough defender Aden Flint and, when his clearance hit Tavernier, Akpom’s header towards goal was finished off by Mcnair.
There was also a late penalty shout when Akpom’s drive struck Marlon Pack in the arm, but those were waved away and the game ended level.
Anfernee Dijksteel did a fantastic job
in following Cardiff’s dangerous Josh Murphy everywhere
NEWCASTLE United are still nervously looking over their shoulder following a 1-1 draw against Wolves at St James’ Park.
Jamaal Lascelles put the Magpies in front with a bullet header on 52 minutes but Ruben Neves equalised for the visitors midway through the second half.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
MARTIN DUBRAVKA
ATONES IN SOME STYLE
You had to go back seven months for the last time Martin Dubravka started a league game for Newcastle and while the Slovakia international only lost his place because of a heel injury, tellingly, Steve Bruce kept faith with Karl Darlow when the club’s reigning player of the year recovered from his lay-off back in December.
Darlow’s contribution this season should not be forgotten – man of the match displays against both Spurs and Liverpool literally earned Newcastle points – and he has filled in admirably since the start of the campaign.
However, Steve Bruce pointed to the ‘experience and know-how’ of Dubravka after recalling the 32-yearold against Wolves and the vocal shotstopper quickly made his presence felt as he organised his defence.
While Dubravka knows his distribution can be better – understandably he was a little rusty in the opening stages – the goalkeeper made a crucial save to keep out Adama Traore’s near-post header after the half-hour mark.
However, given his high standards, Dubravka will know he should have done better for Ruben Neves’ equaliser on 73 minutes. Although Dubravka got a hand to Neves’ header, the goalkeeper could not keep it out of the net.
Saying that, though, Dubravka more than made amends by, somehow, keeping out substitute Fabio Silva’s header at the death to secure a precious point.
RYAN FRASER HAS A BIG ROLE TO PLAY
How many times has Steve Bruce lamented how he has rarely been able to play both Allan Saint-maximin and Ryan Fraser at the same time?
Well, the pair may have only been on the field together for 18 minutes against Wolves, after Saint-maximin hobbled off, but they both played their part in Jamaal Lascelles’ opener.
Saint-maximin brilliantly wriggled past three Wolves defenders down the left before his scooped cross was headed into Fraser’s path by Romain Saiss.
Fraser quickly swung the ball back into the box and Lascelles was there to head Newcastle in front with his first goal of the season.
Newcastle supporters have certainly not seen the best of Fraser in a stopstart first season at the club, but the Scotland international will have a big role to play in the coming weeks – particularly given how both Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-maximin limped off.
NEWCASTLE’S INJURY ISSUES PILE UP IN KEY AREA
Callum Wilson is doing all he can to get back as soon as possible and the star striker has even been doing triple sessions in an attempt to speed up his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Bruce, naturally, is cautious of rushing the 29-year-old back given Wilson could break down again and miss another chunk of the campaign Newcastle are not careful.
Therefore, it is imperative that Newcastle can find a way to get through some crucial fixtures before Wilson potentially returns next month but it is not about to get any easier after both Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-maximin ycame off with injuries.
Newcastle lost Callum Wilson, Javier Manquillo and Fabian Schar to injury the last time the Magpies played at St James’ Park, against Southampton, and Almiron, Saint-maximin and Emil Krafth all limped off against Wolves on Saturday night.
if
It is imperative that Newcastle can find a way to get through some crucial fixtures
Ciaran Kelly
Wolves ultimately looked the likelier of the two sides to win the game, but Joelinton had a glorious opportunity to put Newcastle back in front on 81 minutes.
Substitute Jacob Murphy did brilliantly to drive into the box before squaring the ball to Joelinton but the Brazilian’s close-range effort was somehow cleared off the line by Romain Saiss.
It was a remarkable clearance but Joelinton simply had to score and the chance summed up Newcastle’s issues in front of goal on the night.
While Bruce will have been glad of the point to at least stop the rot, Newcastle had so many opportunities throughout the 90 minutes to have scored more than one goal.
Newcastle sorely lacked a penalty box presence against Wolves and although the Magpies had a whopping four shots on target in the opening 24 minutes, crucially, they did not take any of those chances.
Isaac Hayden should have done better with a free header; Miguel Almiron hit the post; and Joe Willock had a decent opportunity to break the deadlock before Allan Saint-maximin’s follow-up was rightly disallowed after the Frenchman was flagged in an offside position.
A NERVY SEVEN DAYS AHEAD
Newcastle were handed an added incentive before a ball was even kicked at St James’ Park after 16th-placed Brighton suffered a 1-0 defeat against West Brom three hours previously.
Graham Potter’s side have not won any of their last five games in all competitions and when Bruce repeatedly talks of ‘six or seven teams’ being involved in the relegation battle, the Seagulls are surely at the forefront of his thoughts.
Newcastle have now moved level with Brighton in the table and Bruce
will hope Crystal Palace will do his side a favour by beating 18th-placed Fulham on Sunday.
Regardless, you feel the Magpies need a win against West Brom on Saturday to move up to 29 points with 11 games to go.