Following today’s clash between Middlesbrough and Reading, here are the instant reactions from both managers.
Middlesbrough hosted Reading for a 3pm kick off on Saturday February 10, with the hosts taking a two one victory.
An Adama Traore brace either side of the half time break gave Middlesbrough a two nil advantage but Reading did make a game of it with a Chris Martin effort 12 minutes from time, but it wasn’t enough to take a point from the encounter.
Teams:
Middlesbrough:
Randolph, Shotton, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Howson, Leadbitter, Downing (Cranie 90+1), Traore, Gestede (Assombalonga 79), Bamford (Clayton 66).
Substitutes:
Konstantopoulos, Fry, Harrison, Besic.
Reading:
Mannone, Gunter, Ilori, Moore, Bacuna, Edwards, van den Berg, Aluko, Kelly (Clement 63), McCleary (Kermorgant 74), Bodvarsson (Martin 63).
Substitutes:
Blackett, Jaakkola, Richards, Smith.
Speaking to the BBC’s cameras a short time after match day referee David Coote blew the final whistle, Middlesbrough head coach Tony Pulis explained.
‘We were desperate to take that monkey off our backs. We have played well in most games this year apart from taking chances in the final third. We missed a penalty, Patrick Bamford missed from six yards and Grant hit the inside of the post. We could easily have had four or five goals. Two-nil is always a tough scoreline as if the team you are playing against get one goal it gives them a lift psychologically. There is a quarter of a season to go and no-one is talking about us. There’s no pressure on us.’
Reading manager Jaap Stam in his comparative interview explained.
‘If you see how we conceded the two goals, by giving them away, it makes it hard to get back in the game. They played in a very physical way in the first half and it was not easy to defend at times. Chris gave us a certain belief to go forward but we had to be careful of them on the break. We could have got more out of it but unfortunately we didn’t. Everybody finds the run frustrating and hard to take. The players are working hard but when you have the ball you have to attack and keep taking the initiative.’
