Oh what a night! Seem to have heard a song entitled that but last night at the New York Stadium was definitely that. No time to rest on our laurels after Saturday, next up was arguably the best team in the league, pundits and fans alike seemingly convinced that Middlesbrough will occupy one of those two automatic promotion berths come the end of the season.
A packed house with a sell out travelling support and a typical late winter/early spring wet night perfect for football, after Saturday general consensus was we'd take a point against a side we've not beaten for many years home or away.
Three times we'd played them since our promotion and lost 0 3, 0 2, and recently up at their place 0 1! If you like sequences perhaps a goalless draw was on the cards and I'd have settled for that.
I wasn't too surprised at our starting line up. Thomas and Best starting for the two Wards. Best had done well as a substitute Saturday and Jerome Thomas will be a great addition when fully fit. Another run out with his pace might unsettle them.
Just to highlight the gulf in squads, the visitors had the luxury of Jordan Rhodes and Stuart Downing on the bench. I wonder if their manager was squad rotating and resting them for what he might perceive as bigger challenges to come?
His prematch interview didn't suggest that and he warned his players and fans alike that this would be the hardest game of the season.
First half hardly backed up that assertion as we were pulled all over the place by a Boro side oozing with class. I'll not dwell on the actual game play, suffice to say that apart from the odd foray into their box and several corners, we hardly threatened, hanging on for dear life until the half time whistle.
Fair to say that Middlesbrough could have been three up, such was their dominance. In addition, and if the opponents weren't enough to contend with, we had the usual dodgy officials, why do they always officiate at the NYS? Constant petty free kicks awarded by a referee who appeared intent on giving them every assistance in their quest to go top of the Championship. Smallwood was booked for a high kick when the opposition player clearly ducked in to head the ball. Thomas duly followed him into the refs notebook. Richardson picked up an injury which forced him off and on came Kelly. Shame that as he's had a great few games and news is he's likely to be out for a few weeks!
It was a game virtually devoid of fouls yet we ended up with three yellows and a double one for poor old Greg Halford who departed for an early bath! Neither linesmen were any better, especially the small black guy running the line along the West Stand. He seemed to be intimidated by the sizeable away following. His flagging for the free kick against Halford for the first yellow card was ridiculous. Made even more ludicrous by the referee who hadn't seen the incident yet was intent on awarding that caution!
Anyway, I digress! Back to matters on the field of play and everyone was wondering if we would improve after what was a torrid first 45 minutes.
Well, we not only improved but began to take the game to them. Their attacks were far more infrequent now and a couple of times we looked as though we might actually trouble the scorer.
It was also noticeable that noise levels generated from the mass of away fans was dropping and being replaced by frustration which was feeding onto the pitch.
Danny Ward and JCH came on for the tiring Best and Thomas and as the minutes ticked down, we would have been glad of a point. Of course, JCH and freckling ton had other plans and when the ball came to him, our talisman ensured that we would take all three points.
Celebrations amongst the players and Miller Bear suggest that the team are just that a Team.
After that, we endured the odd hair raising moments as Boro pressed forward. Halford received his second yellow and left the pitch but we held on for another quite superb three points.
Our Master Tactician had done it again! Three wins on the trot and real hope now that we can stay up. Once again our sheer desire to win had been the key factor just as it had been at the weekend.
Big plus points were the defence which was once again quite magnificent with Broadfoot steady as ever. Matt Derbyshire who never tired of running at the opposition defenders and looked spent at the final whistle. Lee Frecklington, who made some uncustomary poor passes first half but kept going and his calm and cool finish was a joy to behold. Greg Halford who once again broke up their supply to the strikers. Finally a word for Lee Camp, what a joy it it must be defending in front of him, his enthusiasm and sheer professionalism surely places him as one of our best ever keepers.
Middlesbrough are player for player better than us, yet we'd beaten them. Even their manager in his post match interview conceded that our desire to win had exceeded theirs!
Can we hope for a fourth successive win? Derby up next and they won't be relishing the trip. Fingers and everything else crossed then.
