Late gift is just the tonic for Boro

CHRISTMAS is a time of goodwill to all men, the season for giving, to put others before yourself. It is a sentiment that must have been playing on assistant referee Sebastian Stockbridge’s mind as he handed Middlesbrough an early present on Saturday.

The game was seemingly headed for 0-0 with 88 minutes played and Wolverhampton Wanderers proving to be stern opponents.

After the exertions in midweek in the Capital One Cup, Middlesbrough could hardly be expected to put in a storming finish. But they were handed a massive lifeline when Stockbridge flagged for handball against Karl Henry, who did everything he could to get out of the way of Scott McDonald’s cross.

Marvin Emnes scored the resultant penalty, while Mc- Donald went on to score a second deep into injury time.

The gift was two-fold. Firstly, it helped Middlesbrough pick up a much-needed but perhaps ill-deserved victory, while it gave those watching something to talk about as the first 88 minutes seem hardly worthy of mention.

Boro’s malaise was understandable.

They had not trained since returning from Swansea, their injury list was swollen by midweek casualties, while three players had concerns before taking to the field on Saturday.

Wolves, meanwhile, had undergone a mini-revival, winning two games on the bounce after going a whole two months without victory.

But, as far as Tony Mowbray is concerned, the points far outweigh the performance as Boro return to the training ground today to prepare for Saturday’s visit to Leeds.

Speaking of the penalty decision, Mowbray said: “I haven’t seen it yet. It travelled a long way, it’s not one that’s travelled two yards and smashed him on the arm, it’s gone 15 yards.

“Could he have got out of the way? Probably, I would say.

“I’d have to say I don’t really care. The result is there.

“We’ve been on the end of decisions like that before, we’ve gone down at home to offside goals, twice.

“I can sit and moan about it, but you have to work hard to earn the points. If we’ve got a break, then we’ll take it because there have been other times when we’ve been on the other end of it.

“It had 0-0 written all over it before that. We’ve done no training at all, came back from Swansea at 6pm on Thursday, three injuries coming off, players struggling beforehand, our goalkeeper nearly didn’t make it.

“In the circumstances it was a performance everyone connected with the club should be proud of.

“It wasn’t us at our best, or sharpest. I can’t remember Jason Steele making great saves, there were a few straight at him.

“We had the better situations yet didn’t pick the right pass. If we didn’t get any fortune on Wednesday and you’re telling me that’s not a penalty then we’ll take the good fortune.”

Josh McEachran supplied Luke Williams with an early chance after McDonald had dragged an eighth minute shot wide of the post.

But the ball was cleared after the Boro youngster shot against former Boro loanee Carl Ikeme, while McEachran slotted Ishmael Miller in with a perfect pass which evaded Roger Johnson and Kevin Foley. However, Miller couldn’t make the chance count.

On 21 minutes, Bakary Sako’s corner was saved at the near post by Steele, while Wolves fans called for a penalty after Kevin Doyle was felled in the aftermath.

Wolves’ first half attacks were dominated by Sako, going close with a free-kick on 28 minutes and drawing a solid stop from the goalkeeper three minutes before the interval, before a free-kick by the midfielder flew wide.

Boro played neat and tidy football, but were guilty of a lack of cutting edge, especially when Williams overplayed the ball after a smart backheel from McDonald on 51 minutes, and Smallwood fired into Ikeme’s hands when the ball eventually came out to the midfielder.

Kevin Doyle nodded a Sako corner into the side netting on 57 minutes, while Seb Hines cleared a Bjorn Sigurdasson cross to safety.

Doyle warmed the hands of Steele on 77 minutes when the Ireland international fired in from 25 yards, Steele pawing Doyle’s goalbound shot out for a corner.

Substitute David Davis thought he had won it for Wolves when his shot hit Steele’s shoulder, while Sako drew another save from the goalkeeper with six minutes to play.

It was then that Stockbridge made the decision, Emnes scored the penalty, and McDonald went on to fire home.

The victory was given greater significance when Mowbray discovered that Peterborough, who Boro beat a week ago, went to league leaders Cardiff City and won 2-1, cutting the lead to three points.

Mowbray said: “That’s indicative of the league we’ve got. We had a hard-fought win at Peterborough and you could feel the quality they possessed. They’re the bottom team and they’ve beaten the top team. There you go, that’s what this league’s all about. It doesn’t matter for us.

“This has happened before.

As long as we’re in touch, keep going forward. We’ve got a week on the training ground before Leeds and let’s see where we are after Christmas.”