10-man Middlesbrough taunted by away end after Coventry inflict more Riverside pain

FOR Middlesbrough and Michael Carrick, more frustration and disappointment at the hands of Coventry City and Mark Robins.

This is a fixture Boro have grown to hate.

And this is a game Hayden Hackney won’t reflect on fondly, for it was the Teessider’s sending off midway through the first half that gave the Sky Blues the springboard to inflict more pain on Boro.

Hackney’s first yellow card came after just 11 minutes for a foul on Josh Eccles and his second just 11 minutes later. The midfielder pleaded that he’d won the ball – he did – but also followed through on Brandon Thomas-Asante and his lunge was careless so soon after being cautioned.

Even before the red card, Boro’s task looked difficult. They were sluggish and sloppy early on and Coventry much the better team. And once the visitors had the advantage of an extra man, the outcome was inevitable.

Bobby Thomas was unmarked to score the first goal late in the first half, Wright unmarked to score the second 14 minutes from time and Josh Eccles wrapped up the points late on.

Boro had, it should be said, made a decent enough fight of it in the second half and had their moments, but Coventry were the deserved winners.

“It should have been six”, chanted the away fans late on after the Sky Blues had three goals disallowed. This, like Bristol City at the Riverside last month, was their first away win of the season.

How Boro could now do with an away win at QPR on Tuesday night. Carrick’s side have now one just one in five and as much as the head coach insists the league table doesn’t matter at this stage of the season, gaps are opening above.

Despite the frustration of the dropped points, Carrick loved a lot of what he say from his Middlesbrough side at Carrow Road last week. But there wasn’t much to like in the early stages against Coventry.

Although Hackney and Riley McGree had early efforts on goal, it was Coventry who were the better of the two sides early on and looked the far more likely to break the deadlock. Indeed, the Sky Blues had the ball in the net twice in the opening quarter of an hour through Thomas-Asante and Wright but were denied by the offside flag.

There was relief for an off the pace Jones as well when he attempted to turn the ball behind for a corner and almost skewed into his own net.

Then came the red card. Hackney looked distraught as he made his way off the pitch and was consoled by the coaches and supported by chants from the South Stand. Jonny Howson was introduced, Finn Azaz sacrificed and the red card served to fire up the Riverside, with Boro briefly responding well and getting on the front foot.

But Coventry quickly took charge again and getting to the break level felt crucial for Boro. They couldn’t. Wright had been denied an opener by a superb block but there was no defender in sight when the unmarked Thomas headed home an Eccles cross three minutes before the break.

Referee Thomas Bramall was infuriating the Boro players and fans. Jack Rudoni, on a yellow card, was spared a second caution after a foul early in the second half then Coventry were bafflingly allowed to retake a corner after a coming together in the box. Carrick let his anger show when Latibeaudiere wasn’t penalised for a high arm in the face of Conway.

Boro started the second half better than they’d finished the first, with Conway creating an opening for Jones but the winger’s touch was heavy. Borges then had a shot blocked.

But Coventry had a glorious chance to score a second when Howson’s blind attempted pass back to Dieng was intercepted by Thomas-Asante but poked just wide to the relief of the skipper.

Conway was Boro’s brightest player and had a shot blocked by Thomas. But any hopes of a Boro fightback were ended when Sakamoto was given the time and space to cross and Wright was unmarked to tap in. Eccles would score the third five minutes later and very few fans stayed for what remained of a disappointing afternoon.