Middlesbrough 2 Derby County 0

JASON STEELE proved his detractors wrong in the best way possible on Saturday – by pulling off a man-of-the-match performance for Middlesbrough.

The 21-year-old was unstoppable as Derby County piled the pressure on Boro’s backline in a frantic final 20 minutes after coming in for heavy criticism in the wake of his team’s first defeat of the season at Nottingham Forest last week.

Rhys Williams and Marvin Emnes struck either side of half-time to give Boro what would turn out to be an unassailable lead, but Steele – who made a second-half double save as well as two wonder stops in the final five minutes – turned out to be Middlesbrough’s hero of the day.

The win puts Boro in second in the npower Championship, an ideal tonic after defeat in the East Midlands on Tuesday, and even better preparation for their top-of-the-table encounter with league leaders Southampton on Saturday.

With Carl Ikeme’s finger injury keeping the goalkeeper out for the rest of his loan spell from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Steele has recovered from his own lengthy lay-off to become first-choice once more.

And after a difficult week, Steele was delighted to help his side to their first home victory since August.

“First and foremost we got back to winning ways and that was what everyone here wanted and needed today,” said Steele. “Thankfully, that happened and to get a clean sheet was nice as well.

“We spoke afterwards and for 70 minutes we were far and away the better team but we brought it on ourselves in the last 20 minutes with a few sloppy bits and pieces, but we showed good determination and team spirit to hold on for the three points.

“It’s a massive win looking at where Derby are in the league.

It was never going to be a guaranteed three points. They were always going to be a tough side to face, so the three points is great. We go to bed happy after that.”

A first half which offered very little in the way of chances was lifted a minute before the interval when Williams reacted quickly to stab Justin Hoyte’s daisycutter shot over Frank Fielding in the Rams goal.

Before that, both teams enjoyed few chances in front of goal. Julio Arca saw a longrange drive comfortably collected by Fielding with two minutes on the clock, while Derby got their first effort away when 15-year-old Mason Bennett – the Rams’ youngest ever player – headed Theo Robinson’s centre wide after eight minutes.

Bennett – who had to get permission from his parents and school to travel to Teesside – looked lively, making incisive runs across Boro’s backline, while Robinson’s pace gave the hosts plenty to think about.

The Rams’ best chance of the half came on 21 minutes when Robinson headed just wide of Steele’s post from Jason Shackell’s passing header. That was a minute after Fielding had pounced upon a cross intended for Scott McDonald from Hoyte at the other end.

Boro had a fine chance to open the scoring on 33 minutes when Marvin Emnes volleyed goalwards, but Rams full-back Lee Croft managed to block the shot, while Fielding collected moments after.

In the closing stages of the first half it was the hosts – who had not won at the Riverside Stadium since beating Birmingham City 3-1 in August – who enjoyed the lion’s share of opportunities.

On 42 minutes, McDonald’s long-range effort sent Fielding scrambling across goal, then Tony McMahon surged forward to drive a stinging shot off the palms of the England under-21 international from Hoyte’s pass.

But patient Boro were rewarded on 44 minutes when Williams scored his first goal since netting in the opening day of the season.

The Australian international almost added a second on 48 minutes when he fired Nicky Bailey’s smart backheel over the bar from McMahon’s corner.

But Derby could – and should – have been back in the game two minutes later but for a superb piece of goalkeeping from Steele.

The keeper first of all denied Robinson’s shot for a corner, and from the flag kick managed to get his body behind Craig Bryson’s low shot from the edge of the box, then tipped over from Bennett’s follow-up.

It proved to be a highlyimportant piece of work from the academy product, as, from the counter-attack, Middlesbrough extended their lead when Hoyte swept in a perfect cross for Emnes to power a header past Fielding.

Referee Carl Boyeson waved away Boro’s claims for a penalty on 56 minutes when Gareth Roberts appeared to handle a Hoyte shot.

Just after the hour mark, a McDonald header was saved well by Fielding as Boro turned the screw.

But Derby got back into the game, loaded the Middlesbrough penalty area and kept the pressure up. Bennett – who would have been the Football League’s youngest ever goalscorer if he had scored – struck the crossbar after Steele had repelled Ben Davies’ shot, then Jamie Ward hit the bar from distance and saw a late free-kick fly wide of Steele’s post.

Steele had to be on his toes once again at the death when he tipped Bailey’s defensive header on to the bar, then again to deny Rams substitute Chris Maguire with a fine diving save as Boro held on.

It was a different story in midweek, when Steele came in for criticism on radio phone-ins and on Twitter. Much was made of Boro’s superior defensive record when Steele was out of the team, but the Bishop Auckland stopper insisted that the criticism did not affect him.

He said: “People give me stick or give me praise, it doesn’t bother me. I was always in a bit of a hard situation coming into a side that had kept five clean sheets in a row.

“At some point they were going to concede and at some point they were going to get beat.

“I didn’t blame myself for any of the goals over the last couple of weeks. We’ve got a clean sheet and that’s all I’m bothered about. I couldn’t repeat what I was telling the defence in the last 20 minutes! We were under pressure when we should have been comfortable.

“Maybe it was a bit unfair but somebody’s got to take the blame – unfortunately it was me but I’m not going to shy away from it. It makes no difference if people want to praise or criticise me. It was good of the gaffer to put me back in so quick because I hadn’t really trained and it gave me a lot of confidence.

“You go home a different person if you’ve won. If we’ve lost I go home and don’t really want to speak to my girlfriend.

“Your little baby’s there and you come out of it, but football’s everything. I’ve always got confidence in my ability whatever people do or don’t say.

I’ve achieved quite a lot in a short career so far and I want to keep going.”

Matchfacts

Goals: 1-0: Williams (44, stabbed Hoyte’s low shot over Fielding into top corner) 2-0: Emnes (52, headed home Hoyte’s sweeping cross into corner of goal)
Bookings: Bennett (24, foul); Bryson (62, foul); McMahon (72, foul)
Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull) – Was harsh with his cards in a game that rarely looked to bubble over 7
Attendance: 17,407
Entertainment: ***

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2)

9 STEELE: Solid display capped by two fine double saves in a scintillating second half;
7 McMahon: Decent effort from the rampaging full-back, delivery from set-pieces was excellent
6 McManus: Not unduly troubled, but made some telling clearances when called upon
7 Williams: Boro’s classiest player, comfortable on the ball, rarely makes a mistake and is solid as a rock
7 Bennett: Easy to see why he is catching so many eyes in the Premier League, a display worthy of the top flight;
8 Hoyte: Celebrated a superb return to form with two assists, proved a major point in his display
6 Arca: Experienced campaigner still putting in decent shifts for Middlesbrough and this was no different
7 Bailey: Underrated at the fulcrum of midfield, but broke up play well and was always communicating
6 Zemmama: Full of invention, but decision-making in the final third was lacking and a number of moves broke down;
6 McDonald: Needs a break in front of goal but his running and industry will be rewarded in time
7 Emnes: Rose superbly to notch his 10th goal of the season, a major part of Boro’s success this term

Subs: Ogbeche (for Zemmama, 67): A quiet debut, but chances and goals will come. 5 Martin (for Emnes, 76) Kink (for McMahon, 81)
Not used: Nimely, Haroun

DERBY COUNTY (4-4-2): Fielding 6; Croft 5, O’Brien 6, Shackell 6 (Kilbane 57, 5), Roberts 5; Davies 7, Hendrick 5, Bryson 6, Ward 7; Robinson 6 (Maguire 64, 6), BENNETT 7 (Cywka 79). Subs (not used): Legzdins, Doyle.

MAN OF THE MATCH
JASON Steele – came in for some unfair criticism in midweek, but the academy product more than proved his quality in a superb second-half display