Chris goes Wild after Boro break their win-less run
CHRIS WILDER reckons his new-look Middlesbrough side are ready for lift-off after picking up their first win of the season at the sixth attempt.
It wasn’t pretty but first-half goals from Riley McGree and Matt Crooks gave Boro the sort of cushion they’ve been craving.
The win could have been even more emphatic for Boro with Fulham loanee Rodrigo Muniz smacking a volley against the upright with his first touch after coming off the bench.
Wilder’s men had to endure a nervy finale when Joel Piroe converted a 79th-minute penalty after Darragh Lenihan was adjudged to have handled inside the box.
But it was too little too late for the Swans, who had Ben Cabango sent off late on for a second bookable offence after pushing Isaiah Jones in the back, sparking a mass melee.
With five summer buys in their ranks, this was a Boro side stamped with Wilder’s identity.
And they did not let their manager down.
“We deserved to win the game even though in the end it was one of those where you had to get over the line by hook or by crook,” said Wilder.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t put it to bed earlier because we had some unbelievable chances.
“But we’re not looking like a side who can compete where we want to be competing at the right end of the table.”
The visitors had dominated possession early on with Boro content to sit back and catch their opponents on the break.
And they did so in devastating fashion when Crooks intercepted a sloppy pass by Cameron Congreve before releasing McGree. With his first touch, the Australian controlled the ball and with his second, he drilled a low right foot shot into the bottom corner of the net.
While Swansea kept probing, Boro punched holes in their defence and were two-up after half an hour.
Ryan Giles swapped passes with debutant Matt Clarke and when his ball came in, Crooks ghosted in ahead of Cabango to poke home.
The Swans registered their first shot of note in first-half injury time when Piroe’s 25-yard drive had Liam Roberts scampering across his goal only for the ball to flash just wide.
Though Boro wobbled after Piroe’s spot-kick, there was no way back for Swansea once they were reduced to 10 men.
Manager Russell Martin felt they were on course to equalise before Cabango’s moment of madness.
“We were in the ascendancy before the sending-off,” he said.
“Maybe it did cost us a point, we’ll never know.
“But I’m proud of those players.
“We still looked great with just 10 men and put them under a lot of pressure.”
MIDDLESBROUGH: Roberts 6; McNair 7, Clarke 8, Lenihan 6; Jones 7, Howson 6, Crooks 7 (Smith (81) 6), Mowatt 6, Giles 7 (Fry (90) 5); McGree 7 (Bola (81) 6); Watmore 6 (Muniz (57) 7)
SWANSEA: Fisher 6; Naughton 6, Wood 7, Cabango 4, Manning 6; Grimes 6, Allen 6 (Cullen (62) 7), Congreve 4 (Sorinola (31) 6); Piroe 7, Obafemi 5, Ntcham 5 (Cooper (46) 6)
STAR MAN: Matt Clarke. A Boro debut oozing class and authority.
REF: Robert Madley 6