Boro’s play-off hopes suffer big blow with disappointing defeat
Two steps forward, one step back.
Middlesbrough’sdwindling play-offhopesmayhavetakena fatalblowatMillwall–theTeessiders’ inconsistencies once again proving costly.
After back-to-back home wins over Stoke City and Preston North End had revived hopes that a late push for the top six might be possible, this 1-0defeatatTheDenwashugely disappointing.
Boro never really got going in the first half, as a Grant Hall owngoalprovedthedifference between the two sides.
This was an opportunity for Neil Warnock’s side to applymorepressureontheteams above them ahead of next weekend'sinternationalbreak – instead they will be wondering what might have been.
During a first half of few goalscoring opportunities, Boro failed to register a single shot on target.
The best opportunities went the way of the hosts as Marcus Bettinelli made a fine low save to deny Jed Wallace.
It was another counter-attack which led to the opening goalasDjedSpencelostpossession to Millwall’s Billy Mitchell and the 19-year-old played the ball forward for Wallace.
With Jonny Howson to beat, the Lions forward burst down the left and his low cross was inadvertently turned into Boro’s net by Hall. It had been coming.
Warnock made three changes at half-time as Nathanial Mendez-Laing replaced
Spence on the right, while Duncan Watmore and Ashley Fletcher came on for Yannick Bolasie and Chuba Akpom up front.Thepairhadhardlybeen involved.
The changes allowed Boro to advance into more dangerous areas in the second half, yet a lack of quality in the final third proved costly.
Aftermakingthreechanges from Boro’s 2-0 win over Preston,
Warnock had reverted to abackthreeandwing-backsto match Millwall up.
Marc Bola moved across to play on the left of a back three while Marvin Johnson and Spence were recalled to play on the flanks.
Yet the change of shape appeared to play into Millwall’s hands, with the Lions winning their individual battles followingtheman-to-manapproach.
Akpom and Bolasie played as a front two but struggled to win headers against Millwall’s three centre-backs, while Boro’s passing was ponderous and uninventive.
The triple substitution at half-time helped Boro take control of the game, with Watmore looking lively and Mendez-Laing operating high up the pitch on the right.
In contrast, Millwall dropped deeper and were able to withstand the Teessiders’earlysecond-halfpressure.
Despite Hall’s own goal, Boro’s centre-backs were once again dominant in the air.
Fry and Hall won the majority of their headers against MillwallfrontmanMasonBennett, while Bettinelli made a couple of important saves.
Watmore made an impact after coming off the bench and was probably Boro’s best attacking performer on a frustrating afternoon.
Boro won’t play again until Friday,April2nowduetointernational fixtures.
Warnock’ssidewilltravelto AFCBournemouthnextmonth but are six points off the playoffs with nine games remaining.Play-offrivalsReadingand Barnsley dropped points but Boro couldn’t capitalise.