Middlesbrough 1-0 Bolton

Report: Middlesbrough 1-0 Bolton

IN BRIEF

Bolton Wanderers were edged out by a solitary goal against promotion-chasing Middlesbrough at The Riverside Stadium.

In a game of few chances, the decisive goal came midway through the opening half through Albert Adomah.

The Trotters were combative and resolute at the back and despite threatening late on in the piece, ultimately failed to break down the home side’s rearguard.

TEAM NEWS

Neil Lennon rang the changes for the trip to Teesside, making no less than six changes to the starting line-up that had previously tasted defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Manchester United loanee Ben Amos came in for Andrew Lonergan, who remained sidelined following a bout of concussion.

Elsewhere, Dean Moxey, Emile Heskey, Eidur Gudjohnsen, David Wheater and Saidy Janko were all in from the off.

FIRST HALF

The early throes of the game were somewhat scrappy, though for large periods Bolton penned the hosts very much inside their own territory.

Chances were very much at a premium, though Bolton’s first effort on goal came via a set piece that was cleverly won by captain Gudjohnsen.

Barry Bannan swung in the kick, with Dorian Dervite rising to head over the bar.

Middlesbrough responded, as Patrick Bamford blazed over the top after Adam Reach had made inroads down the left flank.

At around the 25-minute mark the game began to open up.

Bolton threatened with a couple of route one passes up to Emile Heskey, with Gudjohnsen and Janko both buzzing in and around the loose balls.

Up at the other end Amos was worked for the first time on the half hour. Grant Leadbitter fed Bamford, though the on-loan Manchester United stopper thrust out a glove to tip his shot wide of the far post.

The home side continued to press forward and duly broke the deadlock on 33 minutes.

Lee Tomlin was the architect, slipping a ball through the Bolton backline to Adomah who poked the ball under the onrushing body of Amos.

Bolton did respond, as Janko stung the palm of Dimi Konstantopoulos from distance after some sloppy defending from the hosts.

Middlesbrough probably should have double their lead towards the end of the half. An intricate passing move eventually saw the ball bobbling around in the Bolton area, with Bamford’s shot on the stretch clearing the bar.

SECOND HALF

The second period started as the first had ended, with Middlesbrough spurning another opportunity to add to their tally.

Dorian Dervite’s clearance cannoned into George Friend, he then squared the ball for Bamford who dragged a left-footed shot wide of a scrambling Amos and his far post.

Bolton’s primary threat continued to come from set pieces, as Heskey nodded a corner straight down the throat of Konstantopoulos

On 70 minutes Zach Clough was introduced in place of Gudjohnsen in an attempt to mix up Bolton’s attacking play.

And Clough’s quick footwork inside the area was of immediate concern for the hosts, though his pull back from the byline was eventually gobbled up by Konstantopoulos.

Adam Le Fondre was then thrown on as Bolton continued to knock on the door.

Feeney steered a header wide at the back post from Bannan’s cross as hosts began to look somewhat nervy.

But in the end Middlesbrough would hold on for three points and almost added to their lead when Tomlin's free-kick came back off the bar.

FULL TIME

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once again we were caught out by a straight ball over the top, our centre backs seem to have gone to pieces whichever combination Lennon puts out. From the radio commentary we were poor in the first half and should have been more than 1-0 down but we picked up in the 2nd half.

I would have liked to have seen Clough and Le Fondre come on a bit earlier as well.

I don't understand what the plan was for yesterday. Alfie and Clough have been our most consistent performers along with Feeney yet neither of them got 20 minutes. I'm scratching my head here. maybe by the next game I'll figure it out. I eventually realized, after our U21 game with West Brom, that Fitzsimons would have been on the bench for the yesterday so young Harry Campbell got a run out - but I still don't get other choices Neil has made lately.

We are 19th and went to Boro who will probably be a Prem team next season.  Coming away just 1-0 is relatively a decent result.  I thought we would be hammered.

The bottom line is that we have too many injuries for a squad of our size and there is not a lot of quality to start with. I still like what Lennon is trying to do although I agree a couple of decisions lately have been dodgy.  Playing Heskey at center back for example. Overall though the standard of our football has been much better than under Doogie even though we have slumped currently.

terenceanne wrote:We are 19th and went to Boro who will probably be a Prem team next season.  Coming away just 1-0 is relatively a decent result.  I thought we would be hammered.

The bottom line is that we have too many injuries for a squad of our size and there is not a lot of quality to start with. I still like what Lennon is trying to do although I agree a couple of decisions lately have been dodgy.  Playing Heskey at center back for example. Overall though the standard of our football has been much better than under Doogie even though we have slumped currently.

I totally agree with you Terenceanne... well stated.  Anyone who is highly critical just has to look at our injury list... it's longer than our starting line-up.  NL has a clue and has been forced into patching up a team which is springing leaks like crazy.  As soon as he has a line-up that works, we lose two more players.  At least he has passion and I'm sure he still has the clubhouse, unlike Dougie.  We played three teams superior to us the past ten days, and lost one badly while contending in the other two.  It hurts to lose, but we have a depleted squad with aging players on for 90 minutes.  I'm sure NL has made a few mistakes along the way, but I trust we will have a contender next season with the retirement of some of those big wage earners.  Dougie's current squad is just much better than we are and defensively we were and have been a mess since Pratley was injured.  Who would have thought that Pratley would become a mainstay.  In the meantime, Vela and Clough have been given chances and are gaining experience... something Dougie never allowed to happen.  Let's get a win this weekend!