Monk expecting better after pre-season loss to Rochdale

Garry Monk says it’s still “early days” after suffering his first pre-season defeat as Middlesbrough boss.

Having completed the £5million signing of Darren Randolph, the day did not have a happy ending as Boro lost 2-0 at Rochdale where Ben Gibson was forced off early on with a broken nose.

While there was pain for the skipper, defeat was more an irritation for Monk.

Boro had gone into the game on the back of a win and draw in Portugal before fighting back from two down to draw 2-2 at Mansfield in midweek.

But Boro could not repeat the trick and ended with a blank scoreline despite the interval introduction of record signing Britt Assombalonga.

Monk said: “In terms of what we wanted to do and how we want to do it there were glimpses again but as a performance it wasn’t good enough.

“It was more of an application thing, rather than the actual football, I think.

“The players have known from day one that any team that plays under me [must show] 100% commitment and [Saturday] wasn’t good enough. “But it’s still very early days. “There’s a lot of work to do so we’ll get back to the training ground and continue to work hard.”

Adama Traore, starting on the right wing, created the first opening, running into the area to find Martin Braithwaite, who didn’t make a clean connection.

Monk was forced into an alteration with on 14 minutes when a blood-soaked Gibson was replaced by Dael Fry following an accidental collision.

Rochdale went ahead on 51 minutes when a free-kick was whipped in from the left and Daniel Ayala headed into his own goal.

Assombalonga twice went close to an equaliser, heading just wide and inches over.

Braithwaite was the next with a half chance, though he couldn’t keep the ball down.

With three minutes left, Boro were caught out as Ollie Rathbone fired home.

Boro: Ripley; Roberts, Ayala, Gibson (Fry 14), Fabio (Friend 46), Traore (Soisalo 74), De Roon, Clayton, Tavernier (Chapman 58), Braithwaite, Gestede (Assombalonga 46).