DOWNING JUST GLAD TO GET THE JOB DONE
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0: EARLY STRIKES DECISIVE AGAINST FORMER BOSS
Stewart Downing enjoyed a job well done as Middlesbrough consolidated their spot in the Sky Bet Championship promotion places.
Daniel Ayala’s well-taken seventh-minute opener set up a 2-0 success against Nottingham Forest, with Downing doubling the lead just after the half-hour mark.
“It’s a big win, it was a must-win for us,” said former England winger Downing, who enjoyed only his second goal of the season.
“We started well by getting the goals, which is important in these games with the way that they’re set up to play.
“Once we got the goals to go in front, we weren’t in a lot of danger.
“In the second half, it was probably more of our wrongdoing with the sloppiness. But we won the game and that’s the main thing.”
Ayala notched his fifth goal of the season, bringing down a corner, with his back to goal and turning to hit a fine strike into the top corner of the net from 12 yards.
The second goal also followed a corner.
The delivery was not dealt with and though Ayala’s flickon was helped away by a defender, it only reached the edge of the area where Downing pounced and struck low inside former Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon’s right-hand post.
Boro manager Tony Pulis wished his team had scored more. Instead he was left sweating that Forest might make a game of it after their second-half improvements.
Pulis said: “I was pleased with the first half, I thought we played really well with the movement of the ball and the position we got into and the opportunities and chances. But the one disappointing thing was that half-time came, because it stopped the momentum which sometimes happens.
“They had nothing to fear in the second half or worry about and they looked more relaxed on the ball but we still had the best opportunities.
“There are five games to go. We spend far too much time in this country worrying about everyone else and what they are doing instead of concentrating on your own lives and I can only affect what happens here – and that is what I have told the players.
“We just have to focus on ourselves and if it goes for us, brilliant, if it doesn’t, we have to make sure we were properly prepared.