Posh shot to Britt’s
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Tony Pulis saluted his side’s “application and attitude’’ as they ultimately swept aside League One Peterborough.
All the goals came in the second half, two in three minutes shortly after the break from club-record £15million buy Britt Assombalonga and defender George Friend to calm Teesside nerves when Posh had hinted at an upset.
Rajiv van La Parra made his Boro debut after signing on loan from Premier League Huddersfield.
The Dutch winger was pitched into the starting line-up and, having not played for almost three months, lasted only 45 minutes. But replacement Lewis Wing came up with another wonder goal to rival his cracker against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in October. Assombalonga (above) grabbed his second seven minutes later to take his tally to eight in a season where he has struggled for starts.
And Ashley Fletcher, another forward who has failed to convince Pulis, also chipped in with a goal three minutes from time.
Pulis said: “The big thing is, we’ve scored five goals and I’m really pleased with the application and attitude of the players. We played really well, especially in the second half, when we were brilliant.’’
Posh boss Steve Evans said: “We gave them real problems and we should have been two or three up. We missed chances we would normally expect people to take.
“You realise Tony is going to have a reaction in the dressing room – we were well beaten in the second half.” MIDDLESBROUGH: Dimi 7; Fry 6, Ayala 6, Friend 7; Van La Parra 5 (Wing 46, 7), Leadbitter 6, Mcnair 7, Tavernier 6 (H Chapman 75, 5); Assombalonga 7, Gestede 5 (Walker 74, 5), Fletcher 8. Subs not used: Lonergan, Clayton, Wood, Spence. PETERBOROUGH: O’malley 6; White 6, Naismith 6, Tafazolli 6; Ward 6, Reed 5 (Cooke 75, 5), Woodyard 6, O’hara 5 (Godden 58, 5), Lafferty 6; Dembele 6 (Cummings 80), Toney 6. Subs not used: A Chapman, Bennett, Cooper, Denton. MAN OF THE MATCH: Ashley Fletcher. The forgotten forward scored and helped set up two goals. REFEREE: James Linington 6. Possession 64% 36% Shots On Target 7 1 Shots Off Target 2 7 Blocked Shots 1 1 Corners 2 3 Fouls Conceded 19 3 Offsides 2 0 Yellow Cards 1 1 Red Cards 0 0
This may have been the most low-key performance of Solskjaer’s short reign, against a team embroiled in a relegation fight at the bottom of the Championship.
But Jose Mourinho’s United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at home by Derby.
So a fifth successive win to secure the Reds’ stand-in boss a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup – to go with his bid for the Premier League’s top four – will certainly do for now. s