Wilder’s delight as Boro march on
CHRIS Wilder admits Middlesbrough’s comprehensive win over Derby County capped off a great week for the club.
Isaiah Jones produced three first-half assists to put Boro 3-1 up at half-time, laying on crosses for Lee Buchanan’s own goal, Aaron Connolly’s finish and Matt Crooks’ tap in.
Derby had equalised through Max Bird’s potshot from the edge of the box, before Duncan Watmore sealed a comprehensive victory in the 89th minute.
Satisfied boss Wilder said: “We got a bit sloppy and a bit loose after we went up in the game in terms of possession.
“They had a certain amount of possession as well, but we settled down once we got our noses back in front and it was a great boost to go in at halftime 3-1 up.
“Great bit of play and it was more of how we wanted it to be in terms of momentum and building pressure. We kept moving it and yet again Jonah (Isaiah Jones) has found himself in a great position.
“When they gave it away, our press was good. We created opportunities. I’m not getting too carried away, it’s a good result on the back of a great week for the football club. Now we rest, recover and go again next week which is obviously the key.”
Middlesbrough went in front when Jones produced the first of his assists as he charged down the righthand side, played a teasing ball across cross only for Buchanan to prod the ball through the legs of his keeper after quarter of an hour.
Derby bounced back with a shot from the edge of the box as Bird fired in a first-time volley from Paddy McNair’s clearing header six minutes before the break.
With the half-time interval looming, Jones took the game by the scruff of the neck as he performed his usual party trick twice in three minutes. He played a ball to Connolly with his back to goal and the Irish striker found his first Boro goal. He fired on the swivel on target, but the ball deflected off Curtis Davies into the opposite corner.
Middlesbrough might have been happy to go into the break with their slender leader, but Jones was not as he completed a hat-trick off assists in the first half.
The game was put to bed when Boro capitalised on a defensive mistake as Folarin
Balogun nicked the ball away from Buchanan.
His dragback sold the keeper and defender and put it on a plate for Watmore who squirmed the ball under Davies in the 89th minute to wrap up the points.
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney said: “I thought it was quite an even game first half. I felt we had bits of control of it and we got the equaliser, and we were OK, and then we concede two sloppy goals.
“I take responsibility for the result because I tried something with Tom Lawrence and Luke Plange, to leave them high up the pitch and try and play a little bit on the counter attack, and that didn’t pay off.”