Tuncay Sanli grabbed the only goal of the game as Middlesbrough beat Derby 1-0 at The Riverside.
Turkish ace fires winner
Tuncay Sanli grabbed the only goal of the game as Middlesbrough beat Derby 1-0 at The Riverside.
Just as he did in December when the two met at Pride Park - the Turkish superstar made the difference.
Tuncay struck on the half-hour when he picked up the ball from 30 yards out before working his way into the box and firing low past Roy Carroll.
Boro just about deserved the win as they were also denied at least two clear-cut penalties although they had Robert Earnshaw to thank as Derby's Welsh striker headed wide from just a couple of yards late on.
The win sees Boro all but banish any fears of relegation as they move to 12th in the table, whilst Derby are now just one game away from equalling the record of Premier League games without a win.
Boro started well with a series of dangerous set-pieces, the best of which was diverted just around his own post by Robbie Savage.
Beleaguered
Emanuel Pogatetz and David Wheater both came close from Boro's third corner in the eighth minute as the beleaguered visitors struggled to stem the flow of attacks by Southgate's men.
Kenny Miller figured in the Rams' first chance in the 14th minute when he worked his way deep into the home box before Luke Young finally began to hack the ball away from danger.
Chances were becoming few and far between in a clash which hardly held out hopes of an attacking football festival even before the strong swirling wind which was making conditions difficult.
But the deadlock was mercifully broken in the 32nd minute by a clinical finish from Tuncay, who picked up Boateng's pass on the left, drifted across two Derby defenders and drilled his sixth Premier League goal past Carroll.
Three minutes later Boro appeared unfortunate not to win a penalty after Dean Leacock tangled with Pogatetz in the box, but the goal had revitalised Boro who suddenly looked likely to score more.
Rampant
Jeremie Aliadiere had a fine chance seconds after the restart when he found space in the Derby box only for his shot on the turn to be parried well by Carroll in the Rams' goal.
O'Neil won a dangerous free-kick on the right side of the visitors' box in the 51st minute, although the offence appeared to have been committed in the area, and delivered a fine set-piece to Aliadiere who glanced his header across the face of goal.
With Boro rampant, O'Neil had a goal-bound effort blocked in the box by Moore, and moments later Boateng let fly from long-range and was only denied by a superb diving save from Carroll.
The arrival of a blizzard hardly helped ignite proceedings but Aliadiere fired straight at Carroll then headed badly wide in the 80th minute before Boro were almost made to pay for their missed chances.
In a rare attacking moment, Andy Todd hooked the ball across the face of goal in the 85th minute and Earnshaw somehow contrived to head wide from close range.
Two minutes later Miller hit the Rams' first shot on target straight at Mark Schwarzer as Boro held on for the three points.
| Middlesbrough |
Team Statistics |
Derby County |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
1 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 9 |
Corners |
2 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
11 |
| 5 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 61.2 |
Passing Success |
65.2 |
| 26 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 65.4 |
Tackles Success |
69.6 |
| 44.5 |
Possession |
55.5 |
| 52.9 |
Territorial Advantage |
47.1 |
|
