Norwich City vs Middlesbrough. Sky Bet Championship.
Carrow RoadAttendance25,585.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Norwich City and Middlesbrough at Carrow Road on Tuesday night | Boro make it six league wins in a row as Sam Greenwood and Sam Silvera score.
Wednesday 25 October 2023 00:23, UK
Middlesbrough continued their rapid rise up the Championship table as they beat Norwich 2-1 at Carrow Road to make it six league wins on the trot.
Michael Carrick's rejuvenated side never looked back after Sam Greenwood opened the scoring in the first minute of the second half.
Substitute Sammy Silvera completed a deserved win by netting a second in stoppage time and although Jonathan Rowe pulled one back at the death, his eighth goal of the season was no more than a consolation for the struggling hosts.
It was a second home defeat in the space of four days for the Canaries, who have slumped alarmingly after a bright beginning to the season.
After a slow start Boro had the better of a scrappy first half and carved out a number of decent opportunities as the game passed the half-hour mark.
Josh Coburn sent a close-range header straight at George Long after the home goalkeeper had punched a Jonny Howson high into the night sky and then Lukas Engel fired just over after being set up by a glorious crossfield ball from Isaiah Jones.
The visitors went even closer a few minutes later as the hosts carelessly coughed up possession deep inside their own half, allowing Hayden Hackney to bear down on goal but, although his shot beat Long, defender Shane Duffy was behind him to block.
After the recalled Marcelino Nunez had got an early shot on target, Norwich barely threatened despite having plenty of the ball and were booed off by some fans at the break.
The mood of the home faithful hardly improved when Boro took the lead 33 seconds into the second period
following a woefully misplaced pass by defender Dimi Giannoulis.
Hackney nipped in to intercept and sent Coburn racing through and the youngster simply squared for an unmarked Greenwood to slide the ball home with ease.
Norwich responded in spirited fashion, with Nunez cracking a shot against the crossbar after being fed by Giannoulis and Ben Gibson sending a powerful header inches wide against his former club.
Boro seemed content to soak up the pressure and rely on the occasional counter-attack and as the half wore Norwich struggled to get a clear sight of goal themselves.
It was the visitors who wrapped up the points in the second minute of stoppage time when substitute Silvera picked up a loose ball and skipped into the area before guiding a low shot into the bottom corner.
Rowe produced a tremendous finish from a tight angle to reduce the arrears in the ninth minute of added time but there was no time for another Norwich response.
Norwich's David Wagner:
"Of course it's frustrating. We were below par today, we had some spells in the first half, first 15 minutes we were OK. In the second half, we had maybe half an hour where we were OK as well but, in general, it was not a good performance.
"In terms of the effort and attitude, I have no complaints. I will not blame the players, they really tried and fought.
"We looked affected confidence-wise unfortunately and that's why we weren't able to perform to our level and conceded this defeat.
"We conceded goals again which were hard to take, from the moment we conceded them and how we conceded them. It's difficult to take. Football life is not always easy.
"At the minute, it's hard, that's the truth.
"It's me that has to find the ideas and solutions to get the confidence back into the players, to show them a way out of this difficult period that we have.
"The only way you can do it is you stick together, take it on the chin and prepare yourself to be better in the next game."
Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick:
"It was a hell of a game and a really tough one. It took a lot of effort to get over the line. You saw our teamwork and our team spirit. They played smartly to understand the plan, apply it and stick to it. I thought the boys were fantastic.
"I thought we limited them really well.
"I know they had a lot of shots, but they weren't really dangerous or in areas where we wouldn't be comfortable with. It was disappointing to concede one in the end - that was the one where we maybe did just let them get into a good area.
"But maybe that also shows how well the lads have done that we feel aggrieved by that so late on. I can't fault the lads though. I'm really encouraged by it."
