Source: Eurosport
Southgate buoyed by Boro's `mettle'
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate was happy to see his men pass one of their first acid tests as a Coca-Cola Championship club as they beat Scunthorpe 2-0 at Glanford Park.
A brace from Adam Johnson, one a sublime volley and the other a hotly-contested penalty, proved to be the difference in the first meeting between the two sides since 1967.
"I think it was a game that a few people questioned for us," he said. "It was a very tight pitch and there wasn't a lot of space to play in. You have to earn the right to play and we did that.
He added: "We stood up to the physical challenge and that's not to say that Scunthorpe were over-physical. They work you and they make it difficult for you. We came here with a lot of respect for them and we needed to make sure we were on our mettle. In the end, we have got players that, if our attitude and discipline is right, are quality players."
