How did the players fare in Middlesbrough’s 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers?


MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1):

6 Brynn: Couldn’t do anything about Blackburn’s goal, and only had one other effort to save all evening

6 Ayling: Did his job defensively for most of the night, but the quality of his deliveries into the box was mixed

6 Edmundson: Kept Ohashi quiet for the opening hour or so and fired in a decent shot after a first-half dribble

6 Clarke: Put in a decent defensive shift as Boro restricted Blackburn’s time in the final third

5 Borges: Failed to make the most of some decent crossing positions and was beaten to the ball by Hyam for Blackburn’s goal

5 Howson: Played plenty of passes, but never really looked like providing much incision from midfield

5 Barlaser: Very similar to Howson – saw lots of the ball, but did very little with it from the central third

6 DOAK: Was closely marked, but still came up with Boro’s best moment as he drilled a shot against the post

4 Conway: Doesn’t look happy as a number ten – all of his best Boro performances have come as the central striker

5 McGree: Injured himself in the early stages stretching to make a tackle on Ohashi after failing to keep the ball under control

5 Latte Lath: Showed plenty of willing, but was unable to get behind a well-drilled Blackburn defence


Subs:

4 Hamilton (for McGree, 20): Disappointingly ineffective – is yet to have a breakthrough moment in a Boro shirt

Dijksteel (for Ayling, 81)

Gilbert (for Howson, 82)

Forss (for Latte Lath, 86)

(not used): Glover (gk), Fry, Cartwright, McCabe, Jones.


BLACKBURN (4-2-3-1):

Pears 7; Brittain 6, Hyam 8, Batth 7, Pickering 8; Travis 6, Tronstad 7; Dolan 6, CANTWELL 8 (Baker 82), Hedges 6 (Beck 67, 7); Ohashi 5 (Gueye 85).

Subs (not used): Hilton (gk), McFadzean, Rankin-Costello, Leonard, Buckley, Cozier-Duberry.


Man Of The Match: TODD CANTWELL – The Blackburn midfielder produced the best moment of the game as he set up Hyam’s winner.