Source: Eurosport
Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough - 7 November
Strachan search goes on[LNB]Gordon Strachan is still looking for his first points, and first goal, in charge of Middlesbrough after Darren Ambrose snatched a 1-0 victory for Crystal Palace.[LNB]Former Celtic boss manager, who took over from Gareth Southgate a fortnight ago, saw his new side fire blanks as they crashed to a second straight defeat.[LNB]Strachan handed full debuts to loanees Marcus Bent and Isaiah Osbourne in a bid to pep up the Boro attack.[LNB]But Bent and strike partner Leroy Lita fluffed their lines in front of goal as the Teessiders slipped further off the promotion pace.[LNB]And Ambrose showed the visitors how it should be done when he applied the finishing touch to a sweeping Palace counter-attack midway through the second half.[LNB]The midfielder now has 10 goals to his name since arriving on a free transfer from Charlton, surely one of the bargains of the summer.[LNB]He nearly opened the scoring in the second minute with a curling free-kick which flew inches wide.[LNB]Boro almost took the lead after quarter of an hour when Lita's deflected shot forced a sharp save from Julian Speroni.[LNB]Bent was guilty of a shocking miss five minutes later, Adam Johnson cutting the ball back to the on-loan Birmingham striker who was right in front of goal but shanked his effort horribly wide.[LNB]Palace were faring little better, however, with Alan Lee heading narrowly wide and Johnny Ertl firing over the crossbar.[LNB]The lively Freddie Sears should have got a clear run on goal just before half-time but was halted by a deliberate handball from Osbourne, who escaped with a yellow card.[LNB]Strachan had his head in his hands after the interval when a swift Boro break left lone Palace defender Danny Butterfield outnumbered four to one.[LNB]But Lita inexplicably opted not to square the ball as his three unmarked team-mates pleaded for a pass, and having been forced wide by Butterfield shot harmlessly across goal.[LNB]And Boro were made to pay in the 65th minute when Palace broke the deadlock in style.[LNB]From the visitors' corner, Shaun Derry Alan Lee who surged forward and swung in a diagonal cross which Neil Danns nodded on to Ambrose for a simple sidefooted finish.[LNB]Gary O'Neil should have salvaged a point for Boro as he broke clear but Speroni pulled off a fine save and the Argentinian also blocked Jonathan Franks' late shot to secure Palace's victory and leave Strachan plenty to ponder.
