Just Fab for Wilder as Boro legend hails Rav-a-go heroes
BORO legend Fabrizio Ravanelli saw his former club keep their promotion hopes alive with their second win at the Riverside in four days.
Chris Wilder’s side must win at Preston on Saturday and rely on one of Sheffield United or Luton slipping up to finish in the top six.
But after a five-match winless run, the Boro boss could not have asked for any more from his players over the past week as they followed up beating Cardiff with victory over listless Stoke.
“We’re at the business end of the season and to come away with two big wins when we really needed them is a fabulous effort,” said Wilder.
“Our season is still alive and we go into next week in good nick.
“All we can do is control what we do ourselves and we’re looking to finish off with a win.”
Ravanelli famously scored a hat-trick on his Boro debut against Liverpool in a 3-3 draw 26 years ago.
And the Italian, on a rare visit back to Teesside, saw Wilder’s men score another three goals, with Matt Crooks netting a double and Lewis Baker putting through his own net.
Sub Nick Powell netted a 94th-minute consolation – a goal which ultimately meant nothing to Stoke but could yet prove damaging for Boro if play-off places are decided on goal difference.
“We weren’t good enough on the day,” said Michael O’Neill’s No.2 Dean Holden.
“In the first half we were way off the pace and conceded two bad goals.”
Boro had been no threat before Crooks grabbed his 10th goal of the season on 21 minutes.
The midfielder was back in action after serving a three-match ban having notched up 15 yellow cards.
And he showed Boro what they’d been missing, taking Jonny Howson’s pass in his stride before finding the net with a crisp drive, which took a slight deflection, for his first goal in 11 games.
Four minutes later, the hosts doubled their lead when Howson’s inswinging free-kick was headed into his own net by ex-Boro loanee Baker.
Moments later, Duncan Watmore thought he’d added a third when he pounced from close range but was flagged offside.
Stoke had started brightly but their only effort of note before the break was a 25-yard drive by Baker which flew inches wide.
Boro keeper Luke Daniels was called into action for the first time on 55 minutes, getting down well at his near post to keep out a shot from Powell, one of two substitutions O’Neill made at half-time.
But it was the home side who had the cutting edge in the final third with Crooks stabbing home his second of the game in the 72nd minute.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Daniels 7; Dijksteel 7, Fry 7, Peltier 6; Jones 7 (Bamba 89th), McGree 7, Howson 7, Crooks 8, Tavernier 7; Watmore 7 (Coburn 82nd), Sporar 6 (Bola (75th) 5)
STOKE: Bursik 6; Forrester 5 (Powell (45th) 7), Jagielka 6, Harwood-Bellis 6; Smith 6, Allen, Baker 6 (Vrancic (70th) 5), Sawyers 7, Tymon 6; PhilogeneBidace 5 (Fletcher (45th) 6), Brown 6
STAR MAN: Matt Crooks
REF: J Simpson