Middlesbrough—Fresh from eliminating Manchester City from the EFL Cup, Boro followed up with a dominant display at Hull City, winning 4-1 at home. The match, held on a crisp afternoon, saw Middlesbrough’s head coach Kim Hellberg enjoying a continuation of their winning streak. With this victory, Middlesbrough got three huge points. The win took them above third-placed Millwall by five points, though they remain seven points behind leaders Coventry.
The game opened with a bang as Middlesbrough came right out of the gate to set the day’s tone. David Strelec started the scoring just nine minutes into the match. He made a thunderous effort from distance, giving Hull’s keeper, Ivor Pandur, almost no time to react. By the 32nd minute, Alex Gilbert doubled the lead, marking another significant contribution after scoring against Hull City on New Year’s Day.
A First-Half Frenzy
Middlesbrough didn’t let up though as Morgan Whittaker netted to make it a quicker hat-trick. Just before halftime, Riley McGree capped off a stunning first half by scoring the fourth goal in the 44th minute. The home side’s attacking prowess was evident throughout the first half, as they relentlessly pressured Hull City’s defense.
Head coach Kim Hellberg said he was pleased, especially with the team’s first-half performance.
“It was a good night. I enjoyed the four goals, the attitude from the players – they were calm on the ball, brave, everyone wanted to play,” – Kim Hellberg
Hull City’s manager Sergej Jakirovic was left frustrated by his team’s showing. Perhaps most troubling, he remarked that uncharacteristic miscues in the first half undermined their approach from the jump.
“We were very woeful tonight. We made too many mistakes in the first half,” – Sergej Jakirovic
Jakirovic acknowledged that going down 3-0 early on created an almost insurmountable task for his players. This deficit prevented them from ever settling into a groove over the course of the game.
“When you go 3-0 down in 30 minutes it’s very tough to play,” – Sergej Jakirovic
Hull’s Struggle to Respond
Hull City had some better fortune going forward at the start of the second half. In the 62nd minute, Joe Gelhardt scored their only goal of the match, offering up a brief flicker of optimism. This wasn’t enough to turn the tide of the game, as Middlesbrough continued to dominate.
Jakirovic emphasized that his team was not prepared to play in such an important match. He further underscored their issues with confidence, despite Hull City even going on to score.
“I felt fear from my players to receive the ball,” – Sergej Jakirovic
Perhaps most revealing, he confessed that at halftime, he was seriously contemplating making historic changes to his team to correct his team’s dreadful play.
“I could have changed 11 players at half-time. In possession we were very very poor,” – Sergej Jakirovic
Looking Ahead
Middlesbrough has been on the up ever since Hellberg took the reins. For now, their attention turns to their postponed fixture against Charlton. Hellberg remains optimistic about his team’s capabilities.
“I think they’ve been very very good,” – Kim Hellberg
He praised players like Alex Gilbert for standing out and being difference-makers on the ice. He reiterated the importance of remaining locked-in going into the future games.
“Now it’s all focus on Charlton in the next one and we’ll try to win again,” – Kim Hellberg
Just with this gritty victory, Middlesbrough have illustrated their resilience and their intent to remain a strong side in the championship. Their fans will be eager to find out if the team can maintain this momentum and close the gap on league leaders Coventry.
Leave a Reply