Source: Northern_Echo
Middlesbrough 1 Swansea City 1
Middlesbrough 1 Swansea City 1[LNB] WILLO FLOOD might have steered clear of using the golf course at Rockliffe Hall, but he chose the perfect time to shank his first goal for Middlesbrough and prevent a second consecutive defeat.[LNB] He has had plenty of time to reflect on a relatively short professional career while he has been living out of a suitcase at the luxurious hotel next to Boro's training ground in Hurworth since joining from Celtic 11 days ago.[LNB] So an hour after his attempted cross from the right touchline at the Riverside Stadium floated over Swansea keeper Dorus De Vries to pull Middlesbrough level, he did not need long to recall the last time he found the net.[LNB] It was a decent strike and certainly one I meant anyway,[LNB] said Flood. It got goal of the season when I was at Dundee United. This one will look good on the TV too, every time I see it I'll be laughing.[LNB] It says a lot about Flood's two and a half years in Scotland that the one goal he refers to north of the border arrived in a 3-0 win at St Mirren in December 2007. He has endured contrasting fortunes since.[LNB] After earning a move to Celtic, he only made two league starts for the Bhoys after moving to Glasgow 12 months ago.[LNB] But having already reached that appearance tally after teaming up for a second time with Gordon Strachan, Flood wants his home debut goal to be the catalyst for a turnaround in both personal and team fortunes.[LNB] Having never managed to score more than one league goal for any of his six previous clubs, he does not predict a flurry of goals. What he does predict, however, is that Strachan will eventually work some magic.[LNB] Strachan has now won just two of his opening 13 matches in charge at the Riverside, leaving Middlesbrough six points short of the play-offs, eight shy of fourth-placed Swansea and 16 adrift of second spot.[LNB] He has chief executive Keith Lamb frantically trying to conclude deals for new players before next Monday's transfer window deadline, in the hope that new faces will revitalise the campaign.[LNB] Despite another turgid afternoon for another record low crowd, Flood feels fortunes will soon change and hopes his bizarre equaliser will spark the revival.[LNB] When you're down you just need to grind out results and get the rub of the green,[LNB] he said. Gordon will definitely turn it around, coming from a massive club like Celtic, he knows what it takes.[LNB] When he first started there, he didn't start that well, but then he won three titles.[LNB] He's done well in Europe, in domestic cups and he's a top, top manager. Middlesbrough are lucky to have him. I'm sure there were a lot of clubs who'd have jumped at a chance to get him.[LNB] Had it not been for being wasteful in front of goal, again, Boro would have been clear at half-time and a Swansea team with just one defeat in eight in the league could have had no arguments.[LNB] Leroy Lita was most guilty.[LNB] Firstly he was denied by De Vries' legs and secondly he headed wide after being picked out unmarked by Tony McMahon's perfect delivery.[LNB] But what should also worry Strachan is that without Adam Johnson attracting fresh interest from Chelsea Middlesbrough do not appear to have another player capable of darting beyond the opposition.[LNB] That was exactly what Swansea's Joe Allen did 90 seconds after the restart. Allen cut his pass back for striker Gorka Pintado to crash a right foot strike into Danny Coyne's top right corner.[LNB] Middlesbrough looked defeated, but then Flood's misshit cross arrowed towards De Vries' goal and bounced in off the far post.[LNB] I wouldn't say there was much vision shown for the goal, it was more of a shank but hopefully that's the bit of luck we needed because for a while it didn't look like we were going to score, he said.[LNB] It was definitely a cross. I like to play golf, even though I have not played Rockliffe Hall yet because the manager says it's too big for me, and my goal was like a shot on the fourth tee. It was just one of those things.[LNB] The equaliser injected a lease of life to Middlesbrough.[LNB] But after Chris Killen and Luke Williams' efforts failed to find the elusive winner, it is imperative such resurgence is taken into tomorrow night's trip to Doncaster.[LNB] A failure to do so and Middlesbrough's next shank might not end in such a fortunate lie.[LNB] Match facts Goals:[LNB] 0-1: Pintado (47, slotted high beyond Coyne after meeting Allen's cross)[LNB] 1-1: Flood (58, a cross ended up looping over De Vries to give Boro a lifeline)[LNB] Bookings: Arca (32, foul)[LNB] Referee: Andy Penn (Walsall) a pretty straight forward afternoon for the official 7[LNB] Attendance: 16,847[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2):[LNB] 6 Coyne: Safe pair of hands and was never likely to stop Pintado's opener;[LNB] 7 McMahon: The full-back got forward to deliver a few top class deliveries[LNB] 6 Riggott: Steady display at the back but is now a worry with a hamstring problem[LNB] 6 Wheater: Almost scored in the first half and was solid enough throughout[LNB] 4 Hoyte: Never looked as comfortable as he has been in recent weeks[LNB] 6 Flood: Occasionally ran in to trouble but will be satisfied to have levelled, however fortunate[LNB] 7 O'Neil: Given his form Strachan will do well to enter February with O'Neil in tow[LNB] 5 Arca: Played the occasional neat ball but looks frustrated and short of his best[LNB] 7 Johnson: If it wasn't for the winger this dull game would have sent the crowd to sleep;[LNB] 5 Killen: Started brightly but was largely anonymous until he went close with a late header[LNB] 4 Lita: Wasted a couple of fantastic opportunities to put Boro ahead in the first half Subs:[LNB] L Williams (for Lita 79) Bennett (for McMahon 79) Grounds (for Riggott 90) (not used): Steele (gk), Walker, Pilatos, Park[LNB] SWANSEA CITY (4-1-4-1): De Vries 7; Tate 5, A Williams 6, MONK 7, Bessone 6; Britton 6; Dyer 5 (Butler 68, 5), Allen 6 (Gower 87), Pratley 6, Cotterill 6; Pintado 6 (Beattie 71).[LNB] Subs (not used): Cornell (gk), Orlandi, Trundle, Rangel[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] ADAM Johnson looks the only player capable of taking a man on in a Boro shirt.[LNB]
