Source: Daily_Mail
Middlesbrough 3 Reading 1: Boro never look back after Barry Robson's early opener
Barry Robson's early goal set Middlesbrough on their way to a second home win in five days as they defeated Reading in an entertaining clash at the Riverside Stadium.[LNB]Robson opened the scoring after just 22 seconds and both sides struck the woodwork before former Royals striker Leroy Lita added a second for the Teessiders in the 41st minute.[LNB]Jimmy Kebe's superb solo effort dragged Reading back into the game prior to the interval, but David Wheater restored the hosts' two-goal advantage with a header from Robson's 68th-minute corner.[LNB]Perfect week: Gordon Strachan oversaw Boro's second win in five days[LNB]Reading's misery was compounded late on as Brian Howard received a straight red card for a foul on Middlesbrough substitute Andy Halliday.[LNB]The result lifts Boro above the Royals in the npower Championship table and manager Gordon Strachan will take great heart from a much-improved showing in which his side finally displayed their promotion credentials. [LNB]Tarmo Kink was recalled to the Boro side after coming off the bench to score both of his side's goals in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Burnley.[LNB]Nicky Bailey and Wheater also returned, with Gary O'Neil and Matthew Bates missing out and Halliday dropping to the bench.[LNB]Brynjar Gunnarsson replaced Simon Church in the only alteration to the Reading side that drew 0-0 at Millwall.[LNB]Boro made a stunning start and took the lead when Robson latched on to a neat through-ball from Bailey and broke clear before cracking a powerful left-footed shot into the far corner.[LNB]Reading struggled to respond and were grateful to Adam Federici as the goalkeeper denied Lita on two occasions before keeping out another firm strike from Robson.[LNB]Reading had a lucky escape in the 22nd minute when Scott McDonald volleyed against the bar following an error by Matt Mills.[LNB]The Royals were then denied by the woodwork themselves as Kebe directed a shot onto the post from Jobi McAnuff's cross.[LNB]Kink and Bailey fired over as Boro continued to enjoy the better of proceedings.[LNB]And the hosts added a second goal four minutes before the interval when Lita beat the offside trap before squeezing a shot past Federici.[LNB]The Royals were handed a lifeline in the 44th minute courtesy of a stunning individual strike from Kebe, who exchanged passes with Howard and waltzed past several challenges before side-footing home.[LNB]Reading then saw appeals for a penalty rejected after Julio Arca appeared to barge Shane Long to the ground.[LNB]Kink wasted a glorious chance to grab a third for Boro eight minutes after the interval, the Estonian dragging his shot wide after being put through one-on-one.[LNB]A deflected effort from the lively Lita flew narrowly wide as the Teessiders piled on the pressure once again.[LNB]Gunnarsson blocked a Wheater strike from the resulting corner, before Harte went close at the other end with a thunderous strike that ricocheted off a Boro defender.[LNB]Reading's hopes of rescuing something from the game then suffered a hammer blow as Wheater rose highest to convert Robson's inswinging corner from the right.[LNB]The visitors huffed and puffed in search of a second goal, but were unable to seriously test Boro keeper Jason Steele.[LNB]A miserable afternoon for Reading was rounded off when Howard saw red after appearing to go over the ball in a challenge with Halliday. Middlesbrough 2 Burnley 1: Kink to the rescue for under-fire StrachanCardiff sign injury-prone Riggott after defender passes strict medical [LNB]
