09-04-2016, 22:14
A narrow and if I may say slightly undeserved defeat for the Whites on Teesside, against second in the league Middlesbrough, we started well and in my view were the better side for long periods of the game. At the highly impressive Riverside stadium North End showed that are nobodies pushover.
As I said we started well with the some decent football forcing Boro back, although in the early stages did not come close to scoring although Ayala cleared a super cross from Gallagher as Robinson looked to head home at the back post.
North End who had too make four enforced changes also left Browne out and you feared for our understrength backline but for the first 20 minutes or so they were not unduly troubled. But as they started to get in the game Boro began to exploit the gaps down the wing with both Nsue and Ramirez giving Cunningham a hard time mainly due to Robinson not been the best at defending form his wing position. Nugest and Stuani had gone close and Lindegaard had spilled an easy cross which Nugent fired towards goal only to be denied by a good block from Huntington.
You sensed a goal was coming and just after the half hour Boro scored, take nothing away from Adomah's finish but as the ball came across Wright slipped and gave the Boro man space to finish neatly.
Resigned to defeat as I was hoped we could get to half time only one down, we did but only just, Nugent was denied by Lindergaard and again when Huntington cleared across just before Nugent was ready to slot the ball home.
A subdued atmosphere for the second half as the vast majority thought the game was over, which it wasn't, North End possible should have been level but Huntington header lacked direction. A goalmouth scramble failed to bring an equaliser how was a mystery to me as Boro cleared to safety, then Vermijl fired in a rocket of a shot which Konstantopoulos did well to scramble away with the help of his defenders. A Garner shot went narrowly wide and from then on in although dominating never really got close to the Boro goal. The home side rarely threatened in the second half although a free kick went narrowly wide as did another effort from Adomah.
Boro clung on for the points to edge closer to the top division.
Having set off in glorious sunshine, it was surprising to see snow on the hills and the gritters out in Preston can only mean the cricket season starts tomorrow.
Middlesbrough 1 Preston North End 0 Att 26390
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka:
"It is important to win at this time of the season. Now we have our game in hand but we cannot think we have the three points in our pocket already. Every point is gold.
"We don't want to be in the Championship next season. At the beginning of the season. the aim was to get in the play-offs.
"With the experience we have had from last season, with six games to go, we are there but now we have to forget the play-offs and promotion and just concentrate on the next game.
"The key was the crowd. Sometimes, when you don't feel their support, you are going down but, with them behind us, the team is confident. We are more than together."
Preston manager Simon Grayson:
"We are hugely disappointed that we haven't got a result. We had four players out from the other night.
"We didn't have a full bench but we created them problems and not many sides can say that about that when they come here.
"We really played well and, but for some misses and good saves, we could have got something out of the game.
"You could see the relief for everyone from Middlesbrough at the final whistle. We have some big games to be still involved in. We want to finish as high as we can."
As I said we started well with the some decent football forcing Boro back, although in the early stages did not come close to scoring although Ayala cleared a super cross from Gallagher as Robinson looked to head home at the back post.
North End who had too make four enforced changes also left Browne out and you feared for our understrength backline but for the first 20 minutes or so they were not unduly troubled. But as they started to get in the game Boro began to exploit the gaps down the wing with both Nsue and Ramirez giving Cunningham a hard time mainly due to Robinson not been the best at defending form his wing position. Nugest and Stuani had gone close and Lindegaard had spilled an easy cross which Nugent fired towards goal only to be denied by a good block from Huntington.
You sensed a goal was coming and just after the half hour Boro scored, take nothing away from Adomah's finish but as the ball came across Wright slipped and gave the Boro man space to finish neatly.
Resigned to defeat as I was hoped we could get to half time only one down, we did but only just, Nugent was denied by Lindergaard and again when Huntington cleared across just before Nugent was ready to slot the ball home.
A subdued atmosphere for the second half as the vast majority thought the game was over, which it wasn't, North End possible should have been level but Huntington header lacked direction. A goalmouth scramble failed to bring an equaliser how was a mystery to me as Boro cleared to safety, then Vermijl fired in a rocket of a shot which Konstantopoulos did well to scramble away with the help of his defenders. A Garner shot went narrowly wide and from then on in although dominating never really got close to the Boro goal. The home side rarely threatened in the second half although a free kick went narrowly wide as did another effort from Adomah.
Boro clung on for the points to edge closer to the top division.
Having set off in glorious sunshine, it was surprising to see snow on the hills and the gritters out in Preston can only mean the cricket season starts tomorrow.
Middlesbrough 1 Preston North End 0 Att 26390
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka:
"It is important to win at this time of the season. Now we have our game in hand but we cannot think we have the three points in our pocket already. Every point is gold.
"We don't want to be in the Championship next season. At the beginning of the season. the aim was to get in the play-offs.
"With the experience we have had from last season, with six games to go, we are there but now we have to forget the play-offs and promotion and just concentrate on the next game.
"The key was the crowd. Sometimes, when you don't feel their support, you are going down but, with them behind us, the team is confident. We are more than together."
Preston manager Simon Grayson:
"We are hugely disappointed that we haven't got a result. We had four players out from the other night.
"We didn't have a full bench but we created them problems and not many sides can say that about that when they come here.
"We really played well and, but for some misses and good saves, we could have got something out of the game.
"You could see the relief for everyone from Middlesbrough at the final whistle. We have some big games to be still involved in. We want to finish as high as we can."
Have you heard about the news on Mizar 5
People got to shout to stay alive
People got to shout to stay alive