Middlesbrough crisis continues after another defeat
Nottingham Forest made Middlesbrough’s week even worse as they won their Championship match 1-0 at the City Ground last night.
Lewis McGugan’s whipped in free-kick beat Jason Steele in the Middlesbrough goal to give Forest the three points. The goal was a lucky break as McGugan had actually attempted a cross which looped over Steele and found the corner of the net.
The result compounded Middlesbrough’s disastrous start to the league. The club ended Gordon Strachan’s tenure as manager on Monday and the former manager’s team fared no better without the Scot at the helm, as they lost their fifth consecutive away match.
Middlesbrough started the game in positive fashion and should have taken the lead in the first half. Leroy Lita tested Lee Camp in the Nottingham goal with a driving shot, while the goalkeeper was forced to push away Middlesbrough striker Scott MacDonald’s
effort.
Lita snatched at another effort while Forest responded through Dexter Blackstock who missed a great opportunity from six yards out.
The game hinged on a massive chance for Lita. The Middlesbrough striker failed to score with the goal at his mercy after Mickael Taveres’ pull back only required the forward to tap the ball into the net.
The miss seemed to demoralise Middlesbrough’s fragile confidence and Forest took advantage of this.
Radoslaw Majewski’s curling shot skimmed the bar as Forest began to take control in the second half.
The deadlock was broken when Taveres brought down McGugan on the left wing. The midfielder took the free kick which was whipped in with pace.
No Nottingham Forest player was able to get their head on the ball, but a touch wasn’t needed as the ball found the top corner of the net.
Steele denied Dele Adebola’s header as Forest tried to finish off Middlesbrough, but the striker’s effort was the closest they came to adding a second.
Middlesbrough attacked towards the end of the game and applied a lot of pressure on the Nottingham goal, but they failed to really threaten Camp in the Forest goal as they sought an equaliser.
Middlesbrough who were tipped as favourites by many to gain promotion to the Premier League this year find themselves just one place above the relegation zone.
The club’s search for a new manager will be the key to how they progress this season.
Nottingham Forest have now moved up to 13th position in the league under manager Nigel Clough.
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