It's not Michael Carrick's way, but Middlesbrough showed another side in Millwall win

MILLWALL had two one-one-one opportunities in the first half, and were denied by Sol Brynn on both occasions. Middlesbrough had a near identical chance before the break, and Emmanuel Latte Lath slotted a composed finish past Lukas Jensen.

Goals win games, and after a testing week that had featured a draw at Burnley and a defeat at Leeds United, one proved sufficient to get Boro back on track at the Riverside.

Latte Lath claimed his eighth goal of the season after a slick one-two with Finn Azaz, and while Boro spent much of the rest of the game huffing and puffing to little real effect, they successfully closed out a crucial victory. Winning ugly isn’t really Michael Carrick’s way, but sometimes, it’s exactly what is required.

With Boro going into today’s game off the back of taking one point from two matches against Burnley and Leeds, Carrick opted to ring the changes, making five alterations to his starting line-up.

Only one was enforced – Delano Burgzorg replacing illness victim Riley McGree – with the most notable seeing Brynn return to the starting line-up in place of Seny Dieng, who was dropped to the bench.

Brynn performed creditably during Dieng’s recent injury absence, and the Senegal international appears to have paid the price for shaky performances at both Turf Moor and Elland Road. On his comeback game, Brynn performed superbly.

Having been restored to the side after a two-game absence, the academy product did not have long to get himself settled back in.

Just seven minutes had gone when George Edmundson’s under-hit back-pass afforded Macauley Langstaff a clear run on goal. The Stockton-born striker was left one-on-one with Brynn, but the Boro shot-stopper was quick off his line and made a crucial stop with his legs. Three minutes later, and his side were scoring at the other end.

It was a slick opener for the Teessiders, with Latte Lath linking up neatly with Azaz in a well-worked one-two. Azaz’s return pass enabled Latte Lath to break into the right of the box, and the Ivorian slotted a composed finish through the legs of Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen.

Boro were forced into a change midway through the first half, with Luke Ayling hobbling off to be replaced by Anfernee Dijksteel, and the home side’s defence was pierced shortly before the half-hour mark. Thankfully, for the second time in the game, Brynn came to Boro’s rescue.

This time it was Azeez breaking into the box after a clipped pass from Romain Esse, but as had been the case with Langstaff in the early stages, Brynn was quick off his line as he saved with his legs.

It was an open game, flowing from one end to the other, and Boro almost doubled their lead ten minutes before the break. Latte Lath galloped half the length of the field after a Millwall attack broke down, but while he slotted Azaz into the right of the box, the Irish international side-footed a poor effort wide of the target.

Ben Doak got himself into two or three good positions at the start of the second half, only for his final ball into the area to let him down, and Boro made fairly heavy weather of trying to build on their lead after the break.

Indeed, Millwall substitute Aidomo Emakhu should really have done better midway through the second period when his free-kick from the edge of the box rebounded back to him off the wall, only for him then to fire his second effort well over the bar.