Boro just two good FANS CELEBRATE RARE HOME DOUBLE
TONY PULIS saw his Middlesbrough side go goal crazy – scoring twice is a deluge by Boro’s recent standards.
Home fans had seen them find the net just five times in their previous 10 games on Teesside, seriously denting hopes of automatic promotion.
But against an Ipswich side whose 16-year spell at this level is in serious jeopardy, Boro finally got back on track thanks to Jordan Hugill’s 37th-minute penalty and substitute Marcus Tavernier’s clincher in the 72nd minute.
And victory could have been more emphatic if not for Ipswich keeper Dean Gerken pulling off a string of fine saves.
“I was pleased with the performance, but again we did not score as many goals as we should have,” said Pulis, who will complete a deal for Huddersfield’s Rajiv van La Parra this week.
“La Parra has got good pace and pedigree and twice won promotion with Wolves and Huddersfield, so is exactly what we need. Let’s hope we can bring a few more in and have an even better second half of the season.”
Ipswich boss Paul Lambert, meanwhile, insists he’s confident his rock-bottom side can survive.
“With a little bit of help and a few bodies in, we can,” he said. “The performance level today was unbelievably high.
“Football- wise, I’m delighted with how we are playing. We just lack that cutting edge up top.”
Seconds before the opener, sarcastic cheers greeted Boro’s first shot on target, a tame effort by George
Saville which went straight to the keeper.
And when Hugill coolly converted from the spot after being pushed in the back by Jordan
Spence, the 23,334 crowd sang: “We’ve scored a goal,” as they celebrated the first on home soil in more than four hours.
Hugill twice shot wildly off target early on, while Stewart Downing went close with a left-foot volley.
Ipswich may be struggling but Boro were grateful to keeper Darren Randolph for keeping their goal intact in those 45 minutes.
In the 25th minute, he showed great reflexes to turn away Trevoh Chalobah’s header. And he spared the blushes of teammate Aden Flint whose mistake led to Freddie Sears having a great chance to equalise only for Randolph to produce an outstanding save.
After the break, Gerken twice denied Hugill, then Adam Clayton and Lewis Wing. But the vi sitors’ fourth straight away loss was sealed when Tavernier ran on to Jonny Howson’s pass to squeeze the ball between keeper and post.