Middlesbrough bank an important win with a mood-boosting performance to boot against Stoke City
Middlesbrough returned to winning ways in a much-improved performance as Liverpool loanee Ben Doak inspired a 2-0 victory over Stoke City at the Riverside.
Doak was handed his full Boro debut and marked with a man-of-the-match performance that included his first goal for the club to put Boro ahead. Previously guilty of not being ruthless enough to kill games off, Hayden Hackney then wrapped it up for Boro in style in the second half, with a stunning finish to ensure Boro picked up an important three points.
Michael Carrick made three changes for the game, two of which were enforced as Boro's injury curse continues. Anfernee Dijksteel and Riley McGree were back in the side as Matt Clarke and Tommy Conway missed out. It was the unenforced change that made the biggest impact, however, with Doak in for his full debut at the expense of Isaiah Jones.
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From the off, Doak in particular made a huge difference with his pace and ability to beat his man on the right wing. Boro notably looked to get it into his feet as early as possible. They were helped too, by the fact that Stoke were the first opponent in a long time to come and play with their own ambition.
That meant Seny Dieng was the man making the first save of the game. Boro were caught on the counter when Hayden Hackney's effort was blocked after a wide free-kick came out to him. Bae Jun-ho was the man who drive out with the ball as Luke Ayling did as much as possible to slow him down. The South Korean eventually found an opening for the shot from the edge, which Dieng stood up well too.
Boro slowly began to get greater control of the game as Doak's threat meant Eric Bocat felt less and less obliged to get forward for the visitors. Boro were creating plenty of positive openings and almost all of them were coming through the explosive Liverpool loanee.
It was rather fitting then that when the deadlock was broken in the 34th minute, Doak was the man scoring it. Boro looked better balanced in attack in general, with McGree's return from injury offering better protection for Neto Borges, while Finn Azaz was better as he returned to the central role.
McGree created Boro's opening goal as he profited from the excellent determination and quick-thinking of Emmanuel Latte Lath. Winning Boro a free-kick out wide after chasing back and winning his battle, the Ivorian took a quick free-kick to McGree. He cut in and saw his far-post effort saved by Viktor Johansson, but he could only palm into the path of Doak who had a tap in at the far post.
Doak was enjoying as good a full debut for Boro in recent memory and continued to prove a threat as Boro closed the first half in command. A flash half-chance for Stoke's Junior Tchamadeu in added time brought ironic chants of 'we've had a shot' from the away end.
Boro had been in this position in their last home game, however, and ultimately hadn't proven ruthless enough to kill the game against Preston North End. They made a positive start to the second half and Latte Lath was unfortunate when he was denied as he looked to curl one into the bottom corner from the edge.
Just before that chance Stoke suffered a blow as they lost dangerman Million Manhoef to injury. On in his place though was Sam Gallagher - a bit of a bogeyman for Boro having scored for Blackburn in two of his last three visits to the Riverside. He had a warning for Boro when he headed over from a corner just after the hour mark.
Boro did well to hold off the bit of momentum that Stoke built from that chance as new boss Narcis Pelach made positive changes to try and get his side back into the game. They had hope until Boro finally killed it off with just over 15 minutes remaining.
Latte Lath's dogged determination again proved key as he won possession again over on the left before Hackney took charge of the situation, driving towards the box before using the potential passing decoys to create half a yard and then curl one spectacularly into the top corner from the edge.
Coming off the back of last weekend's desperately disappointing defeat to Sunderland, this wasn't just a result to lift the mood on Teesside but a performance to match. Only one of the three Boro changes may have been unenforced but the two attacking changes made a huge difference as Boro gained three valuable points.