WHEN Malaury Martin was introduced into proceedings at Ashton Gate on Saturday, the home fans yelled “who?” as his name was called out.
Thirteen minutes later they were to find out. Martin, on as a replacement for Julio Arca, turned out to be Middlesbrough's secret weapon in their last-gasp victory at Bristol City with a 91st minute free-kick.
The home supporters' derision may well have been premature, but Boro manager Tony Mowbray knows the threat that Martin brings to the table – his only other goal for the club came in August when he despatched a similarly spectacular strike past Birmingham in a 3-1 victory at the Riverside.
And Mowbray, who saw his side climb back to third place with victory at Ashton Gate, said: “We've seen that before from his performance against Birmingham, I see it most days in training and yet it has been difficult to get him on to the pitch at times this season.
“In tight games, sometimes you need the athleticism of a Faris Haroun or the knowledge of a Julio Arca, but today Julio started to wilt and I thought it was the day for Malaury. And thank God it was that decision.
“I've got other players who could have come on but I said to Malaury “let's see one of those thunderbolts.”and there it was.”
Middlesbrough survived a credible claim for a handball against Arca, who handled Neil Kilkenny's cross, but in an even contest Mowbray was convinced that his side shaded it.
“I thought we deserved it on the balance. They came right back into it but in the second half we were the better team,” he said.
“They had sporadic opportunities, flashing across our goal and the odd chance here and there, yet we got into some positions and didn't capitalise on it.
“You could argue that they deserved more than that, but I've been talking a lot about tight games and you have to win your tight matches. We've tended to draw too many of them this season but today we won a tight match and that's a great sign.”
That said, the hosts had the best of the early exchanges, with Kilkenny's long-range shot over the bar and Nicky Maynard's low effort giving the visitors plenty to think about. But City should have been ahead on 13 minutes when Boro goalkeeper Jason Steele pawed Martyn Woolford's soft shot into the path of Maynard, whose volley was superbly repelled by the England under-21 stopper.
Joe Bennett's 36th minute cross should have produced something more, but Scott McDonald was slow to react and could only flick on for a goal-kick.
Boro were guilty of dwelling on the ball and making poor passes, and one such misplaced ball from Arca – in for the injured Barry Robson - on 43 minutes allowed Bristol City in, but Steele got to Cole Skuse's pass across the face of goal before a City attacker could.
After the interval, Justin Hoyte – who had recovered from taking a tumble over the advertising hoardings in the first half – curled a shot just over David James' crossbar after Boro had won a corner.
Boro provided little threat from the flanks with Bristol's full-back pairing of Cole Skuse and Ryan McGivern dominating, but wing-back Bennett found time and space in the 58th minute to swing a perfect cross in for Faris Haroun, which the Belgian could only head over James' crossbar.
Two minutes later, James fumbled a Hoyte cross but Bristol cleared, while Emnes stroked a tame shot into the former England goalkeeper's hands on the hour-mark.
As the game became stretched, Woolford raced up the other end but dragged his shot wide, and on 62 minutes, Albert Adomah fired towards Steele who pawed clear as the game crackled into life.
Emnes fired wide on 72 minutes, before the biggest chance of them all almost produced the first goal at the other end. Adomah, on the attack, squared for substitute Brett Pitman on 75 minutes, whose shot was on target but for Steele, who scrambled across his line to claw clear.
A tentative battle looked certain to peter out into stalemate when Arca appeared to handball Kilkenny's cross. The home supporters were incensed, but referee James Linington gave nothing as the Sky coverage repeated the incident for those watching at home.
The supporters' ire was compounded a minute into stoppage time when centre-half James Wilson was penalised for a soft challenge on Emnes a couple of yards outside the box, allowing Martin the opportunity to win the game for Boro.
With West Ham United and Southampton both dropping points, it allowed Mowbray's team to make up the ground lost in midweek with defeat to the Hammers. But Mowbray refused to get carried away with Boro's continued success in the Championship.
It is a refreshing outlook from a manager keen not to build the pressure on his players, preferring his side to feel its way through life in the top half of the division.
And he said: “The league table is for other people to talk about, we've created that situation where people are looking at the top of the table and the team have done that with their performances, but I don't really get overly concerned with what West Ham and Southampton are up to.
“It's great when someone whispers in my ear that they've lost, but I don't go home and worry about the gap.
“Our ambition this year is to win as many games as we improve on last season, see where it takes us and where big wins like Saturday come along it is great, but there will be times like Tuesday which was a huge disappointment. There will be up and downs as the season unfolds.”
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