The verdict as Middlesbrough beat Preston North End 4-0 in the Championship
Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway (right) celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal(Image: PA)
Middlesbrough put pressure on promotion rivals with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Preston North End.
Heeding their head coach’s call for energy after the quick turnaround, Boro dominated the first half and lead 3-0 thanks to goals from Alan Browne, Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker.
Preston North End were reduced to ten men early into the second half when Jordan Storey was sent off for a last-man foul, before Conway sealed the thumping victory with his second of the afternoon.
Kim Hellberg made two changes from the side that came from behind to win at Stoke City on Wednesday evening. Having been axed at half-time, both Alex Gilbert and Sammy Silvera dropped to the bench, with Dael Fry and Leo Castledine starting. Callum Brittain and Riley McGree were back on the bench.
With such a short turnaround to this game from that Stoke win, Hellberg had demanded energy from his players against Preston. He’d have been delighted with how his p[layers reacted.
In a first half completely contrasting the one at the bet365 Stadium, Boro were dominant and assured against the Lilywhites and were very good value for a three-goal half-time lead, with their energy just too much for the visitors.
Boro were ahead after just nine minutes. Unusually slack at the back, Preston allowed wing-back for the day Browne to run in off the back of the last defender. Picked out by a lovely Matt Targett through ball, Browne finished calmly against his former side.
The Sunderland loanee could have easily had a second when he got in behind again later in the half, but it was Conway, also adding to his goal at Stoke, who did eventually double Boro’s lead.
Once again, it was one ball in behind the high Preston line. Odel Offiah guilty this time of not keeping up with the line and playing the Boro number nine onside. He ran through one-on-one after Luke Ayling’s ball and put too much on his finish for Jack Walton to be able to stop it.
Boro were looking so assured and commanding in a confident and comfortable first half. Two goals is always vulnerable to a change in momentum and one moment at the other end though.
Hellberg, therefore, would have been delighted that his side ended an excellent half by extending their lead to three. Whittaker profited from a nightmare at the back as Walton rolled Lewis Gibson the ball. Whittaker’s quick pressure meant he won the ball inside the Preston box before producing the confident finish to move his tally to 11 for the season.
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Preston were out particularly early for the second half, presumably after some harsh words from their highly vexed boss Paul Heckingbottom. But that meant a long wait for Boro in the freezing cold, which perhaps didn’t help their disastrous start to the second half.
Conway caught Storey in possession in his own half, with the ball breaking loose to leave the Boro striker breaking through, clear on goal. But Storey’s contact meant Conway couldn’t regain his balance and, as last man, referee Andy Madley had little option but to give Storey his marching orders just four minutes after the restart.
And just five minutes later, Boro’s enjoyable afternoon got even better. Castledine’s direct free-kick lacked power, but was heading towards the bottom corner and bounced awkwardly just in front of Walton.
Still, he ought to have done better than push it into the danger zone, where Conway followed up in typical number nine fashion, converting the rebound for his second of the afternoon.
From there, it became a bit of a training exercise for Boro. They continued to dominate possession and probed for more goals, albeit with less intensity than earlier.
Hellberg instead used the final half hour to rest some important players, with Gilbert, Silvera, Delano Burgzorg and the returning McGree all seeing some healthy minutes. Finley Munroe was on late for his debut too, after Adilson Malanda went off after a nasty head collision which hopefully doesn’t prove serious.
Crucially, this was a commanding win for Boro. They conceded just two shots all game, none of which were on target and forcing Sol Brynn to make a save. At the other end, they were clinical.
At this stage, getting the wins are all that really matters, but when they come in this manner, it’s all the better. Boro’s lunchtime win ensured they did their job in style, putting pressure on their promotion rivals.
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