‘INNER STEEL’ SEES BORO COME GOOD
Johnson’s free-kick keeps side on a roll
JONATHAN Woodgate felt Boro’s “inner steel” made the difference as his side celebrated their 500th league game at the Riverside and extended their unbeaten run to four league games with victory over Reading.
Marvin Johnson’s free-kick was the difference, but Woodgate’s side had to cling on in the closing stages as Reading created a succession of late chances, with Darren Randolph making two crucial late stops as they secured their second clean sheet of the term.
Woodgate said: “We deserved to win. Towards the end of the game they piled the pressure on, but we stood strong. We needed to find that inner steel, that belief and I thought we did that today.
“We looked dangerous on the counter-attack at times and could have been a couple of goals up. I was so pleased, the lads gave me everything.
“Does that result make a statement? I’d like to think so. We’re four unbeaten and it’s hard to do that in this league.”
Meite had two early chances, but his shot was blocked by Ryan Shotton before he drilled a low shot straight at Randolph after exploiting hesitancy from Marc Bola.
It was not one-way traffic before the break with Middlesbrough creating chances of their own through Paddy McNair, but his shot was too close to Rafael Cabral.
It was a day when both keepers impressed, and Randolph made another important intervention at the start of the second half to deny Evie Ojaria, who fired in a crisp drive.
It proved a key moment, as ten minutes later, Middlesbrough claimed the lead. Mithey chael Morrison fouled Ashley Fletcher enabling Johnson to whip in a free-kick. Fletcher lunged at the ball in the sixyard box and, while he failed to make any contact, he unsighted Cabral, who could only watch on as the ball nestled in the corner of the net.
Boro’s goalkeeper was the key figure in the closing stages, with two dramatic late saves. Displaying superb agility, Randolph turned Lucas Joao’s front-post header around a post, before clawing away another goal-bound effort from Liam Moore.
Reading boss Jose Gomes defended his decision to leave George Puscas, Joao and Pele out of his starting lineup, even though the trio had claimed four goals in the opening month of the season.
Gomes said: “Puscas, Joao and Pele didn’t start. Pele and Puscas had travelled for their national teams, but that was not the only reason why they did not play. The reason was that I did not like the way that played in the last game. I have six strikers, they are all good players and they must all fight for their position.”
Gomes admitted his side were punished for not being clinical in the final third, but felt Boro should have been reduced to ten men when Adam Clayton appeared to catch Meite with a stray elbow in the first half. He said: “I don’t like to talk about referees, but he is the only person on the pitch who can protect the players. It should have been a red card.”