Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston: Isaiah Jones scores twice in first-half blitz as Michael Carrick’s side continue climb up the Championship table

• Isaiah Jones scored twice as Middlesbrough recorded an impressive victory
• Rav van den Berg and Alex Bangura also netted their first goals for the club
• It’s ridiculous to see Steve Cooper under pressure at Nottingham Forest. He’s been the best since Brian Clough – It’s All Kicking Off

Middlesbrough fans could have been forgiven for rubbing their eyes in disbelief as the goals flew past hapless Preston here.

Michael Carrick’s side had only mustered seven in eight home outings prior to this blitz of potential play-off rivals.

Finally, attacking intent was combined with lethal finishing at the Riverside as Boro continued their slow but purposeful climb up the Championship table.

For the first time this season, the scoreboards here clicked above two goals for the home team.

They don’t have much trouble scoring on the road – netting four times in the derby at Sunderland three against both Watford and Plymouth.

Isaiah Jones scored twice as Middlesbrough recorded an impressive victory over Preston

Your browser does not support iframes.

Despite missing some of their attackers through injury, Boro had far too much for a Preston side who started the evening in the top six.

Isaiah Jones scored twice, while Rav van den Berg and Alex Bangura were also on target, as a depleted Boro made it five home wins from six – only this time with a more emphatic winning margin.

‘Performance-wise, we have been better but we were ruthless, we looked dangerous and defended well to limit them,’ Carrick said. ‘I was delighted with that and I can’t fault the boys’ attitude.

‘I was confident going into the game, they were ready and there was a good balance to the team even though it was quite new. I thought we’d be in good shape, so I’m really happy.’

‘We have got eight senior lads out tonight – the makings of a pretty good team. But that is why the squad is vital, you can’t make excuses, you have to make the best of it.’

While Preston dropped out of the play-offs – something they’ll hope to fix in Friday night’s quick turnaround game against QPR – Boro are moving in the right direction.

Having started the season in a troubling manner, Carrick has put things right and they should be capable of at least matching last season’s play-off semi-final appearance.

Saturday’s trip to Elland Road for a grudge match with Leeds will properly test those credentials.

Jones rounded off a slick move to open the scoring for the home side in the 16th minute

With temperatures barely above freezing on Teesside, those who’d wrapped up to sit at the Riverside craved some goals to warm the cockles.

It was quickly apparent that Boro were in the mood, with Preston barely able to get out of first gear in the first-half.

Middlesbrough needed just 16 minutes to take advantage, with Jones rounding off a slick move.

The ball was worked from left to right, with Jonny Howson finding Dan Barlaser. He side-stepped and kept it moving to Matt Crooks, who signalled for Jones to make a dart.

His slide-rule pass was perfect, dissecting two Preston defenders and Jones had the presence of mind to commit keeper Freddie Woodman before rolling it home left-footed.

That goal wiped out Boro’s negative goal difference which was something to celebrate, and their confidence grew with every foray forward.

Crooks was pulling the strings in the No 10 role but also drifted out wide, with one inviting cross not quite finding Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Morgan Rogers was also proving influential and he slipped Latte Lath clear only for the striker to get his feet tangled up. He tried to retrieve a good situation, passing back to Crooks, whose effort was deflected wide.

Rav van den Berg chested home his first Boro goal from close range in the 26th minute

But from the corner, the hosts did indeed double their advantage, scoring two at home for only the third time this season.

Barlaser’s delivery wasn’t read by Woodman, who ran into traffic inside his six-yard box, and the ball came perfectly for Van den Berg to chest home his first Boro goal practically on the goalline.

The 19-year-old centre-back, perhaps understandably, hasn’t scored too many in his young career. That was only his second, after one for Dutch club PEC Zwolle in the cup two years ago.

10 minutes later and the contest appeared to be settled. Jones again supplied a tidy finish from close quarters after Rogers split an increasingly bedraggled Preston back line.

The space afforded to Barlaser at the genesis of the move wouldn’t have pleased Ryan Lowe one bit.

It could have been worse by the break – Jones almost had a hat-trick when Rogers put him through again but two covering defenders and Woodman managed to smother him.

Moments later, Rogers’ angled shot was beaten aside by the Preston stopper, who must have wondered what had become of his defence.

Boro rubbed it in further deep into second-half stoppage time when substitute Bangura cut inside from the left and found the net at the near post.

Jones supplied a tidy finish for the third after Rogers’ pass split the Preston back line

Alex Bangura sealed the win when he cut inside from the left and found the net at near post

‘I’m angry and disappointed but we stick together win, lose or draw,’ said Preston boss Ryan Lowe. ‘There were some harsh words in the dressing room because when we went 1-0 down, a fear set in.

‘We came here with full belief we could challenge Middlesbrough, they aren’t the formidable force they were last season.

‘I feel we are better than last year and I expected us to be better. It’s my team, my players and they know it isn’t good enough and we have let everyone down.

‘I will give them the benefit of the doubt but we don’t want to be a mediocre team and a mediocre club.’

MATCH FACTS

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Van den Berg, Dijksteel, McNair (Clarke 82), Bangura; Howson (c) (McCabe 88), Barlaser; Jones (Silvera 70), Crooks (Gilbert 82), Rogers (Greenwood 70); Latte Lath

Substitutes not used: Glover (GK); Coburn, Coulson, Cartwright

Manager: Michael Carrick

Scorers: Jones 16, 37; Van den Berg 27; Bangura 90+4

Preston North End (3-4-2-1): Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Best (Woodburn 65); Potts, Whiteman (c), Ledson (Whatmough 88), Hughes; Frokjaer-Jensen (Stewart 88), Keane (Ramsay 46); Osmajic (Evans 46)

Substitutes not used: Cornell (GK); Bauer, Browne, Holmes

Manager: Ryan Lowe

Booked: Potts, Hughes

Referee: Andrew Kitchen

Attendance: 24,502

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Source: Read Full Article