MIDDLESBROUGH .......................... 2 Monk’s men step up gear to overcome Tractor Boys

IT was a day of anniversaries for under-fire Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk.

Two years previously, he was sacked by Swansea, his first managerial role coming to an abrupt end after a drab run of form.

It was exactly six months on from his Boro appointment, armed with the brief of leading what would become the Championship’s most expensively assembled side to promotion.

And then there was that – not a swashbuckling performance by any means, but a vital victory at the most crucial of times.

Monk came into the game as a man under pressure. He may well look back to December 9 as a watershed moment in his tenure.

After a week of harsh words, cancelled days off and plenty of soulsearching, Monk got the response he required from his side. They were head and shoulders above an Ipswich side who themselves harbour promotion hopes.

Given the psychological torture of the last few weeks, it felt like a big moment for Monk and Boro. There is much work still to do, but that was a step in the right direction.

Boro managed to beat a top-half team, Patrick Bamford notched his first Championship goal in twoand-a-half years, and captain Grant Leadbitter answered his manager’s call.

It was a day to celebrate as a much-improved display helped spread some much-needed festive cheer across Teesside.

Looking to avenge back-to-back defeats, there was a feeling that it was now or never for Boro – going into the game 14 points off the automatic promotion places and six behind the play-off pack.

It came as little coincidence that Grant Leadbitter was Boro’s general Action from Boro’s victory against Ipswich in battle once more, up against his former club and looking to prove a point following his absence at Ashton Gate.

Boro are a far better side with Leadbitter in the ranks. You don’t need to use statistics to prove that point.

It came as little surprise that Leadbitter – one of three changes made by Monk to freshen up Boro along with Daniel Ayala and Patrick Bamford – was at the heart of the action from the outset.

Boro carved out their first opportunity on 18 minutes as Stewart Downing’s free-kick from the left found Ben Gibson at the back post, but he couldn’t get a clean connection to steer the ball beyond keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

While Leadbitter was the talisman, Downing was the creator – finding space on the right and drilling a cross-field ball towards the onrushing Fabio, but the Brazilian dragged his volley wide.

It wasn’t box office football from Boro, but it was functional and controlled.

With Bamford dropping deep in the No 10 to connect the play, Britt Assombalonga – who scored four goals against the Tractor Boys in the red of Nottingham Forest last season – had an unenviable task leading the line on his own.

But the £15m record signing stuck to his task, willingly running the channels before lashing a longrange effort horribly wide, to the groans of the home faithful.

How crucial it was, therefore, for Boro to get their noses in front before the break.

Boro’s best move on 40 minutes saw Bamford and Braithwaite combine, and their smart interplay led to Assombalonga’s low effort that forced Bialkowski into a smart save.

Then came the relief after Waghorn caused momentary panic inside the Boro box.

And it was Braithwaite who struck after Downing got the better of leftback Jonas Knudsen, his cross sparking a mini scramble and falling beautifully to the Dane, who bagged his fourth of the campaign.

McCarthy’s game plan to contain and frustrate the hosts was torn to shreds – and Monk pumped the air.

The onus was then on Boro to pick up where they left off in the second half.

McCarthy showed his hand as