BORO ARE THE LIKELY LADS
IT IS on days like this, away from home and under the cosh, that the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders, and by hook or by crook this was a day that Middlesbrough underlined their promotion credentials.
Manager Aitor Karanka is desperate to avoid a repeat of the play-off heartache that his side endured in May and after this hard-fought success, he now has the automatic promotion places set firmly in his sights. ‘This kind of win could be the difference,’ the Basque coach said afterwards. ‘We lost here last season. This time, we won even when we did not play to our best.’
It is early days, of course, but this was his side’s fourth win on the bounce and on Teeside they are starting to believe that this may well be the year that they return to the Premier League.
This was an absolute firecracker of a contest. Forest played their part, attacking with gusto and intensity, and only the reflexes of Boro’s 36-year-old goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos — including a late penalty save from Henri Lansbury — denied them.
The match exploded into life after only three minutes, when David Nugent steered home a curling cross from George Friend.
‘This is why we signed Nugent — for days like this,’ Karanka smiled.
Forest, however, were undeterred and they responded in kind just four minutes later. It was a majestic goal by centre-back Matthew Mills, glorious in its timing, technique and execution. A corner kick was delivered by Lansbury and Mills met it beautifully on the volley, cushioning the ball with his instep into the roof of the net.
Forest continued to pour forward, Boro counter-attacked at devastating speed. Adam Clayton released the jet-heeled Stewart Downing, who betrayed his 31 years by sprinting 60 yards to bring the best out of Dorus de Vries in the Forest goal.
Middlesbrough restored their advantage shortly before half-time, Daniel Ayala nudging a header past De Vries when Forest failed to deal with Adam Clayton’s cross. In the second half Forest battled with courage and manager Dougie Freedman was left wondering quite how his side had lost a game in which they contributed so much.
‘We were the better side today. We created enough chances to win this game,’ Freedman said.
Middlesbrough, however, are a team on the up and Freedman was not alone in opining that the Teesiders will end up as ‘the champions of this division.’
Nonetheless, Forest would have secured a draw if not for a string of fine saves from Konstantopoulos to deny Ryan Mendes, Eric Lichaj and Lansbury in the second half.
The Greek veteran saved his best intervention until last, however, sprawling to his left to save Lansbury’s penalty after Ben Gibson handballed on the left edge of the area.