Middlesbrough 3-1 Hull City: Isaiah Jones back with a bang

Isaiah Jones is back – with a bang.

After losing his place in the Boro squad, Jones returned to the pitch against Norwich City last Friday night but it was in the second half of the 3-1 victory over Hull City that he truly announced his return.

Boro were trailing 1-0 at the break and could have no complaints. They were flat in the opening period and Hull were excellent value for their half-time lead, playing with real confidence and spark in the first half at the Riverside.

But the visitors were quite simply blown away in a stunning six-minute turnaround – with Jones at the heart of it for Boro. No wonder the South Stand sang his name.

The 23-year-old created two of Boro’s three goals as Hayden Hackney, Cameron Archer and Chuba Akpom struck.

It was Hackney’s second in as many games, Archer’s ninth since his January arrival and Akpom’s 28th league goal of the season. There are goals everywhere in this Boro team.

He won’t get the headlines like Jones but credit too to Anfernee Dijksteel. He was introduced alongside Jones at half-time – enforced changes after Tommy Smith and Marcus Forss added to Carrick’s injury concerns – and both linked up superbly down the right.

The six-minute goal blast was the sort of flurry that will have rivals running scared. Boro were nowhere near their best in a slow first half but with the flick of a switch turned it on and picked up three more home points.

It was Hull who were in the opposition corner when Carrick enjoyed his first win as Boro boss back in November.  And for all Boro have been transformed since, Hull too have dramatically improved under Liam Rosenior – as they demonstrated in the first half at the Riverside.

Boro have put on many an exhibition in attacking football on home turf in recent months but the Tigers, unbeaten in five ahead of their trip to the Riverside, weren’t at all overawed.

It just didn’t quite happen for Boro in the first 45 and although they went close to an early opener when Hackney hit the post, the visitors caused problems and grew in confidence as the opening period went on, taking a deserved lead four minutes before the break when Allahyar Sayyadmanesh headed in from a corner from the right.

It wasn’t against the run of play. Hull had created the best chances before that. They should have opened the scoring just before the 20-minute mark when Pelkas fired wide with only Steffen to beat. Regan Slater also went close.

Boro had their moments. Akpom, a former Hull loanee, had an early penalty claim waved away before Forss, another former Hull loanee, forced a fine full-length save out of Newcastle loanee Karl Darlow. Archer beat Darlow with one fierce low drive but the ball flashed just wide of the far post.

With Aaron Ramsey ruled out through injury, Carrick had moved Hackney into the advanced left midfield position and handed a start to Alex Mowatt, richly deserved after his impressive showing from the bench against Norwich.

With Ramsey, Riley McGree and Dael Fry all missing, the last thing Carrick needed was more injury concerns, but Smith and Forss were both forced off at half-time after separate collisions. Dijksteel and Jones formed Boro’s new-look right side. And talk about making an immediate impact.

The first of Boro’s three goals came 10 minutes after the restart when Jones played it into the path of Hackney to hit the leveller. It was Akpom, though, who got the move rolling with a quite sublime pass to set Jones away.

Just three minutes later, Boro were ahead. A long ball forward from Steffen should have been dealt with but Archer made a nuisance of himself, wriggled around Jacob Greaves and slotted underneath Darlow.

Hull had no response and it was soon three, Jones again with the assist, this time teeing up Akpom, who finished well.

Boro – and Jones – wanted more and the winger twice went close to getting a hat-trick of assists when Akpom had a shot deflected wide and substitute Matt Crooks headed over.