Goals:
0-1: Loader (11, collected Gunter’s throw and turned Mikel before curling brilliantly inside the top right corner)
1-1: Wing (31, struck low inside the net from ten yards after Howson’s cross bounced off Yiadom at the back post)
2-1: Assombalonga pen (39, sent Martinez the wrong way with a confident finish after Saville was tripped)
Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire) – didn’t look to break play up unnecessarily. 7
Bookings: Howson (56, foul); Harriott (66, foul); Saville (90, foul); Hugill (90, foul)
Attendance: 22,003
Entertainment: **
Boro Read
Shots on 6 4
Shots off 12 8
Corners 7 4
Offsides 2 2
Fouls 14 12
MIDDLESBROUGH (3-5-2):
6 Randolph: when Loader floated his curling effort towards goal he had no chance;
7 McNair: The pick of the defenders and looked to get involved with Howson and Wing
6 Flint: Recovered after a shaky start when he misplaced a pass and dawdled
6 Shotton: Similar to Flint in that he looked nervous at the start and then grew;
7 HOWSON: Was one of the best players on the pitch and then didn’t attack as much after the restart
6 Mikel: Turned for the goal by Loader but didn’t allow that to get to him as he improved
6 Besic: Started and finished quietly but had a decent period in between
7 Wing: Together with Howson led the revival in the first half, although he seemed to dip the longer the game went on after his lay-off
6 Saville: Went close to scoring a couple of times with runs in behind the full-back;
5 Fletcher: Worked hard enough without ever really threatening to find the net himself
6 Assombalonga: Took his penalty confidently and hit the woodwork too.
Subs:
Clayton (for Besic 69): Got involved in the game quickly after his introduction. 5
Tavernier (for Fletcher 80)
Hugill (for Assombalonga 86)
(not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Wood, Gestede, Downing.
READING (4-4-1-1): Martinez 7; Yiadom 3, Miazga 5, Moore 6, Gunter 5 (Olise 74); Rinomhota 6, Baker 5; Ejaria 6, Loader 7, McCLEARY 7 (Barrett 74); Baldock 5 (Harriott 63, 5). Subs (not used): Walker, Ezatolami, McIntyre, Kelly.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jonny Howson - had it not been for his and Wing’s performance then Boro may never have got going.
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