Jones key man as four-some display puts Derby to sword
MIDDLESBROUGH found their goalscoring touch as they put four past Derby County to win 4-1 at the Riverside.
It’s the first time since December 2020 they have scored four in a game, and goals came from Buchanan (og), Aaron Connolly, Matt Crooks and Duncan Watmore.
Here are the main takeaways from the game:
SOME END TO THE FIRST HALF
It was a relatively slow start to the game but Boro slowly worked themselves into it and found a rhythm after an early Derby press unsettled them.
They were looking comfortable having taken the lead through a Lee Buchanan own goal on 15 minutes and their control looked to be growing when suddenly they were pegged back.
Out of nothing, a 39th-minute corner was headed away by Paddy Mcnair, but on the edge and unmarked, Max Bird swung his left foot at it and made great connection. It came through a crowd of players, unsighting Joe Lumley and finding it’s way into the bottom corner.
While the Riverside was somewhat shell-shocked, the players were not. Refusing to go in at the break level, they first got back in front when Aaron Connolly’s effort deflected in for what will hopefully go down as his first goal for the club, in the 44th-minute, and Matt Crooks stepped in at the back post to tap home a third in first-half added time.
ISAIAH JONES – THE MAN OF THE
MOMENT
Rather harshly, Jones won’t officially be credited with three first-half assists. They don’t count for own goals and therefore he can’t be credited, much like for Boro’s second at QPR on Wednesday.
Scratch what the official numbers say though, this was three first-half assists
........................................ 4 from Isaiah Jones in a superb display of making things happen for his side.
Big moments in the final third are what create goals and Isaiah Jones is the man of the moments for Boro, so regularly the man unlocking defences with his dazzling feet and burst of pace.
What a performance again from the young man.
THE GOALS COME FOR BORO
Just yesterday Wilder spoke about his side doing all the right things to start scoring more goals. Despite their muchimproved chance-creation rate under the Boro boss, the goals still haven’t been forthcoming.
They had three for the first time in the league since last April by half time and, in a brilliant second half, threatened to add a fourth throughout.
Eventually, it was Watmore, off the bench, working hard to press and forcing an error who then got the ball back from Balogun to tap home Boro’s fourth with his first touch.
This was the first time since December 19, 2020 at Birmingham that Boro have scored four goals.
DURACELL BUNNY TAV
For the second game running, Tavernier just seemed to be everywhere on the park in this one.
After earning the plaudits of Wilder, the Boro boss asked for consistency from Tavernier and he got another superb showing in return. His energy was
infectious as he just seemed to always be in the right place at the right time.
He was making key recovery runs and tackles and key interceptions throughout and was his usual positive self when in possession and driving Boro forward.
Another brilliant display.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The off-field battles between the two clubs may have been settled on the eve of the game, but it was never likely to ease the tensions between the two sets of supporters.
Derby brought over 2,000 to the Riverside in what was a sold-out away end and they sang throughout, with the
Red Faction in the south stand and other sections of the Boro supporters joining in to drown them out, particularly when the anti-steve Gibson rhetoric started.
When Derby weren’t singing about Gibson, in fairness, they sang loud and proud in supporting their club, even when 4-1 down, and comfortably brought the biggest away following of the season here to the Riverside.
It made for a tasty atmosphere off the pitch, with the Red Faction rising to the occasion to stay behind Boro.
Inside the ground at least, there didn’t appear much trouble – rather just banter back and forth, with Boro fans waving Gibson face masks at the away end.