Percovich reign a whimper as Boro are held Ends with toothless by Terriers
LEO Percovich’s reign as caretaker Middlesbrough boss didn’t get the perfect end as they ultimately failed to find the quality in the final third to bag a winner and instead had to settle for a point against bottom of the league Huddersfield Town.
While huffing and puffing, Boro just ultimately could not blow the last wall of Huddersfield’s defence down as they lacked quality in a goalless draw in their final game before Michael Carrick is expected to take charge.
They might well feel aggrieved too, given Duncan Watmore looked to have been fouled by Tom Lees just before the break, but nothing was given and Boro ultimately didn’t do enough to force the issue at home to collect all three points.
Boro started the game well and within a minute they were in the visitors’ box and putting pressure on for an early goal. Chuba Akpom must have been inches away from heading Isaiah Jones’ cross in.
But after such a quick start, Huddersfield eventually started to settle in the game and Boro’s early momentum faded. In truth, as the two sides went in goalless at half time it had been a 45 minutes that highlighted why both sides were struggling at the wrong end of the Championship so far this season.
Lacking in quality, there were few chances of note, with Huddersfield’s best chance coming when they hit the bar direct from a corner, while David Kasuma had one long-range effort that would have caused Zack Steffen problems had he managed to get it on target.
For Boro, they lacked movement and went long a bit too often, with Chuba Apkpom isolated and nobody close enough to profit from any second balls as the lone striker competed as much as he could to do something with them. Jones got into some decent areas but was wasteful every time.
Their best chance to break the deadlock should have maybe come from the penalty spot though. If an earlier handball appeal against Tom Lees may have been harsh, his clip of Watmore’s heels just before the interval looked a good
shout for Boro indeed, and left the
Boro forward and supporters fuming with referee Andy Davies as he left the field to loud boos at the interval.
It was actually Huddersfield who had the first chance after the interval, however. Just two minutes after the restart Jack Rudoni tested Steffen from range and when the American couldn’t hold the effort he was then forced to react well and stand up to the follow up from Danny Ward.
Percovich had brought Hayden Hackney on for Alex Mowatt at the interval, with the young midfielder eventually injecting a bit more life into Boro, quickly followed too by the introductions of Marcus Forss and Rodrigo Muniz. The Brazilian had only been on the pitch a minute or so when the ball fell to his feet from Smith’s cross. He snatched at it though,
and fired well over.
Boro were increasingly looking like the side most likely of either to get a winner, but as the clock ticked away that moment of quality, as it so often has this season, alluded them.
As Hackney looked increasingly dangerous, Percovich rolled the dice one final time. As well as Marc Bola on for Ryan Giles, Riley Mcgree replaced Mcnair. Rather than bring more life to Boro though, the Australian was increasingly sloppy, while Hackney’s momentum was thwarted somewhat by being forced deeper. They kept pushing but much like the first half just didn’t have the quality to find a breakthrough and give Percovich the perfect end to his caretaker reign at the club he holds so dear to his heart.
A goalless draw was every bit the bore draw it sounds between two poor sides. Boro will look to the penalty they should have had in the first half, but they collect a point and sit just one point and one place above the drop zone ahead of Carrick’s arrival. Huddersfield remain bottom.
A goalless draw was every bit the bore draw it sounds between two
poor sides.