Be it by hook or by Crook, Boro finally have first league victory
BUT IT WOULDN’T BE BORO WITHOUT LATE DRAMA...
MIDDLESBROUGH got their first win of the season at the sixth time of asking as they beat Swansea City 2-1 at the Riverside.
In what was an otherwise comfortable afternoon for Chris Wilder’s side, a Joel Piroe penalty in the 78th minute halved the deficit created by first-half goals from Riley Mcgree and Matt Crooks.
It made for a nervy and frantic last ten minutes that Boro ultimately managed to see out and give their season lift-off, with Swansea’s Ben Capango losing his head late and receiving a red card after shoving Isaiah Jones to the ground.
That last ten minutes aside, it wasn’t the most thrilling of matches in terms of exciting goalmouth action for a neutral. Two sides who like to keep the ball, Wilder slightly changed the Boro set-up, with his side dropping ever so slightly deeper, inviting Swansea on, thus creating space that they exploited throughout as they broke with real pace and intensity.
Swansea looked a side just a little unsure of themselves and played into Boro’s hands as they gave the ball away cheaply too often, allowing for the home side’s counter.
They did have the game’s first chance, for which we had to wait until the 13th minute. Indicative of the Boro plan, they immediately broke after Michael Obafemi’s tame effort and broke the deadlock.
Crooks read a pass in the Swansea half and intercepted well before quickly spotting the run through the middle of Mcgree.
He played a lovely through ball for the Australian to run on to as he then showed excellent composure to slide Boro into an early lead.
Chances were few and far between throughout, but Boro were looking comfortable and well-structured defensively, with Liam Roberts – in for his league debut as a result of a Zack Steffen knock – rarely troubled or tested.
Matt Clarke’s introduction into the back three was a big factor and as well as helping Boro look far more solid, he showed why Wilder was so keen to have a natural left footer in that centre-back role as he joined the attack well too.
That was the case as Boro secured the comfort blanket of a second goal on the half-hour mark. A superb team goal saw the debutant overlap Giles before slipping it back into his path towards the byline.
Giles then did what he does best, picking out Crooks at the near post who was able to steer the ball into the far corner.
It all seemed like it would be plain sailing for Boro from there. Roberts had one or two comfortable saves to make, while Boro threatened to add a third every time they countered.
Rodrigo Muniz had the best chance to add that with his very first touch in a Boro shirt. On the pitch barely a minute, he was well-positioned in the centre of the box to volley Crooks’ cross goalwards. He made superb connection with the ball and beat the Swansea goalkeeper, but found his effort rattled the front post.
This is Middlesbrough though and we should know better than to expect too comfortable an afternoon! From out of nowhere, Swansea were back in the game when referee Bobby Madley pointed to the penalty spot off the back of a corner from the visitors. There was confusion all-round, baffled at what it had been given for.
Jonny Howson and his man had fallen to the ground in the tussle and it seemed the only plausible explanation. Instead, Wilder revealed after that the decision was actually given for a handball against Darragh Lenihan when the shot came in from inches away from him with his arms seem
ingly never far from his body. Needless to say, the Boro boss was once again less than impressed with a decision that went against his side. Piroe converted well.
Thankfully this time it wasn’t to prove costly, despite the frantic, tense and nervejangling final 10 minutes (and a further eight minutes added time!).
Boro did manage to see it out, with Cabango’s red card helping them out as Swansea threatened to lose their heads at a time they should have been focused on getting an equaliser.
Swans boss Russell Martin admitted himself after that his player might have cost his side a point in losing his cool and shoving Isaiah Jones to the floor.
It wouldn’t have been a deserved second goal for the visitors though, and Boro held on to pick up a warranted and important three points, finally recording their first win of the season.