Watmore double delights Warnock
EX- ENGLAND U21 STAR SECURES BORO VICTORY
DUNCAN WATMORE rediscovered his old magic with a match- winning double for Middlesbrough – and was branded “a gem of a lad” by Neil Warnock.
A month ago Watmore was a free agent, without a club and desperate to relaunch a career stalled by injuries.
But the former England Under- 21 and Sunderland winger showed he can still be a big threat, grabbing his first goals since October last year.
Watmore regained his fitness by training with Boro during November, and earned a shortterm deal until January.
Boro boss Warnock says he quickly fitted in and became a sparky member of the squad, and he got his reward in the 26th minute.
He dribbled across the Swansea box and smashed a shot that took a wicked deflection off Marc Guehi and past Freddie Woodman. Watmore only had to wait another 40 minutes for another. Paddy McNair drilled a brilliant reverse pass and the 26- year- old university economics graduate still had plenty to do, dribbling into the area. But from a tight angle, he rocketed a shot past Woodman.
Swansea gave Boro the jitters by striking back in the 78th minute. Substitute Yan Dhanda recreated Watmore’s opener, firing in a shot that deflected over Marcus Bettinelli.
Warnock said: “We are delighted for Duncan. He is a gem of a lad.
“We didn’t pay him for a few weeks. He had offers from India and South Africa but he loved it here. It was great to get him in.
“It is not easy to score that second. He worked his socks off. It is only one game.
“We have not got anyone like that. We want good wide players and he can play up front. He covers more ground than anyone.
“It is all about him tonight. We gave him a round of applause in the dressing room.”
Swansea manager Steve Cooper made his anger known at half- time and they improved after three substitutions.
He said: “We weren’t ourselves and gave away two poor goals. There are not many positives to take. The players know we dropped our standards and fell short.”
MIDDLESBROUGH ( 4- 3- 3): Bettinelli 7; Spence 7, Fry 7, McNair 8, Bola 7; Morsy 7 ( Wing 79), Howson 7, Tavernier 6; Watmore 8 ( Saville 68, 7), Akpom 6, Johnson 6 ( Coulson 78). Goals: Watmore 26, 67.
SWANSEA ( 4- 3- 3): Woodman 6; Roberts 5, Cabango 5 ( Routledge 45, 6), Bennett 5, Guehi 6; Manning 6, Smith 6 ( Garrick 79), Fulton 5 ( Gyokeres 45, 6); Lowe 5 ( Grimes 45, 5), Ayew 6, Palmer 7 ( Dhanda 66, 7). Goal: Dhanda 78.