The verdict as Josh Coburn inflicts what could be a huge psychological blow to Middlesbrough’s promotion chances
14:29, 03 Apr 2026Updated 14:52, 03 Apr 2026
Josh Coburn of Millwall celebrates scoring against Middlesbrough(Image: Getty Images)
Middlesbrough’s worst fears were realised on a not so Good Friday as Josh Coburn came back to haunt them with a brace that inflicted a huge dent on promotion hopes on Teesside.
Ensuring Millwall leapfrogged Boro into second, Coburn – sold to Millwall in the summer in a £5 million deal – scored twice to cancel out Dael Fry’s early opener.
It ultimately came from a torrid second half, where all of Boro’s positive first-half work was completely undone. The manner in which they conceded the second goal encapsulating a sloppy, well-below par second 45.
Kim Hellberg named an unchanged starting line-up from the pre-international break draw with Blackburn Rovers. That meant neither Hayden Hackney or Morgan Whittaker were able to return from injury, while Leo Castledine missed out too.
But despite travelling across continents to be back on Teesside this week after international duty, Aidan Morris and Riley McGree were both deemed fit enough to start.
For all the talk of their travelling, and how it might impact them, they were both on it from the off in what was an excellent Boro first half – full-blooded from the off.
On the front foot from the off, Boro played some excellent football, and the only disappointment of the first half was that they were not more than one goal to the good.
It was Teessider Dael Fry who put them ahead just before the half-hour mark. Having missed a great chance after just five minutes when he volleyed over after running in unmarked at the back post, he made amends.
An almost identical run in at the back post as Boro recycled possession from a cleared corner, Alan Browne clipped in a lovely cross to the back post. Fry bulleted his header home.
Boro were dominating and Morris’ aggression out of possession was playing a big role. McGree, stepping up from midfield was then influential in Boro breaking with more pace.
Callum Brittain was enjoying plenty of freedom down the right too and Boro were linking well in final third as they carved open numerous good breaks. There were a number of good chances deflected just wide or over, as they pushed hard for a second.
Fry came the closest to Boro’s second, ironically. As Luke Ayling’s effort deflected into Fry’s path, he fired out his foot at it and had it heading into the bottom corner. Femi Azeez instinctively stuck out a leg and denied him and Boro a second.
There was much to like about Boro’s first half. The key to the second half was trying to kill the game off or, failing that, seeing out their one-goal lead.
Two weeks ago, Millwall had trailed 1-0 at half-time to Ipswich Town and Alex Neil noted his side went with a ‘nothing to lose’ mentality. That included going two up top and bringing Mihailo Ivanovic off the bench.
But they’d started that way at Boro, with the Serbian going as close as the visitors came in the first half via an effort which deflected just wide off Adilson Malanda.
It was Boro who once again started the better in the second half, however. As David Strelec held the ball up well again, as he had done so much in a positive first half, he turned and drove before spotting the darting run from wide of Matt Targett. His ball through just lacked the pace, which meant Targett’s effort did too.
Moments later though, Boro had their first scare, and needed Sol Brynn to be alert to keep them ahead. He first reacted well to keep a deflected effort out and then, as it came back in, he reacted well to get off his line and take it off the foot off the onrushing forward.
There was nothing he could do moments later, however, as Boro’s set-piece vulnerability impacted them again. And of course it was Coburn on hand to fire home.
After Jake Cooper headed back into the danger area, Ivanovic teed up Coburn and the Boro academy graduate smashed a close-range volley beyond Brynn. The Boro keeper was so close to keeping it out, but was just done by the power in the end.
Boro were struggling from there to get a grip of the game and retake the control they had enjoyed in the first half. The ball wasn’t sticking enough and the decision-making in possession became sloppy.
Momentum was all in Millwall’s favour until around the 70-minute mark when suddenly Boro started to re-find their way after Morris set off another counter which Tommy Conway just couldn’t make enough of.
Moments later, they were close again as Conway sent McGree to the byline. His low ball across was just behind Strelec as he rushed in. Morris arrived beyond him but got the ball caught between his feet and was crowded out before he could make anything of it.
But ultimately the difference in Boro’s first-half performance to the second would tell. Their quality on the ball was way off, and it would cost them.
Adilson Malanda, attempting to play a simple pass out, completely underhit it and gifted Millwall possession. Out of sorts, Millwall had the space on the transition and Coburn was on hand to fire a stunning finish across goal and into the bottom corner with just four minutes remaining.
The Boro academy graduate, sold in the summer, had come back to haunt Boro. From being ahead and so commanding in the first-half, the drop-off was alarming. The defeat, at this stage, hard to take.
Boro are by no means out of the race, with six games remaining. But they were leapfrogged by Millwall as a result of the loss. Ipswich now have two games in hand. You fear the psychological impact of this one above all else.
———-
Here at TeessideLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Middlesbrough FC coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest Boro news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
Your information will be hidden, you’ll only ever receive messages from the Teesside Live sports team, and you can leave any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.