Akpom spot-on as Carrick men close gap at top
CHUBA AKPOM continued his scoring streak to set up a thrilling promotion race in the Championship.
Akpom netted his 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot as Boro closed the gap on the top two to just four points.
Boro helped themselves to a seventh win in eight games but had to come from behind at Swansea. com stadium after Joel Piroe nudged in his 14th goal of the season early in the first half.
Swansea thought they had doubled their lead soon after the break but Jay Fulton’s goal was chalked off for offside.
And that would hurt the home side even more when Boro scored twice within three minutes.
Aaron Ramsey coolly finished left-footed from a counter-attack before Cameron Archer nodded home.
Akpom then completed the comeback from the penalty spot after man of the match Riley McGree was hauled down.
Boro boss Michael Carrick was trying to keep a lid on expectations, even if the travelling fans were starting to believe a push for automatic promotion was on.
He said: “I can’t hide from the league table but it doesn’t affect how we approach each game. Of
................ 1 Piroe 15
Ramsey 54, Archer 57, Akpom 77 (pen) course as you go along the games grow in importance but it’s important we don’t start chasing games.
“It’s all about the performance.
“The boys showed their togetherness today, their belief and spirit to turn the game around.
“We’re got so many attacking threats
that we just M’brough didn’t get frustrated.
“We just needed to find that final touch and we did just that in the second half.”
Pressure is growing on Swansea boss Russell Martin, who now has just three wins in his last 20 games.
He said: “It’s really frustrating but I’m pleased with so much of what I saw.
“I’m still not convinced our second was offside but we didn’t manage the game well enough after that, which sums up where we’re at.”
SWANSEA: Fisher 7; Wood 7, Cabango 6, Latibeaudiere 5; Sorinola 5, Fulton 8, Grimes 7, Manning 7; Cooper 8 (Ntcham (45) 4), Cundle 5 (Paterson (70) 5); Piroe 6
MIDDLESBROUGH: Steffan 6; Smith 6, McNair 7, Lenihan 6, Giles 7; Howson 5, Hackney 8; McGree 9 (Mowatt (90) 3), Akpom 7 (Finch (90) 3), Ramsey 8 (Bola (90) 3); Archer 7 (Forss (75) 5)
STAR MAN: Riley McGree – Pulled all the strings for Boro and won the penalty to seal the win.
REF: Peter Bankes 6