Source: Daily_Mail
Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0: Upbeat Downing backs fans’ fury
Stewart Downing sympathised with Middlesbrough fans who taunted manager Gareth Southgate after this damaging defeat by one of their main relegation rivals.[LNB]'Southgate out' was being chanted at the end of the game, with supporters abusing him as he walked back to the tunnel. Boro lost the game in the 84th minute after a long throw from Rory Delap was headed in by Ryan Shawcross.[LNB] Shawcross redemption: Rory Delap (right) celebrates with team-mate Ryan[LNB] Southgate: Boro won't change and we can play our way out of trouble[LNB]Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0: Late strike from Shawcross boosts survival hopes[LNB]DES KELLY: For Boro's sake it's time to go, Gareth[LNB] Southgate gambled with his tactics, playing with three centre backs and wing backs, the first time Middlesbrough had used the system all season.[LNB]But, even though the approach stifled Stoke, a late lapse of concentration was costly and Boro have slipped five points behind Stoke and are four points adrift of fourth-bottom Blackburn.[LNB]'The fans were angry and they have every right to be,' said midfielder Downing after the side's seventh consecutive away defeat without scoring.[LNB]'But we need them behind us. It's a lot to ask but we need it. I know some people are writing us off. However, we still feel we just need a little run. Portsmouth have shown it can be done.[LNB]'There's not much the manager can say really because we played decently and we had coped with their throw-ins and set pieces right up to the end and then we fell asleep.[LNB]'Our main problem is we're missing chances and then getting hit late on. That's been the story of our season really and it's costing us. We still have home games that are winnable but we have to start pretty quickly. We have to throw everything at it and there's nowhere to hide.'[LNB]Southgate said: 'It was very difficult after this game to say anything. Everybody knows the significance of the result. I'm a fighter and my job is to lift everybody else. I'm not in the best of moods at the moment but that passes very quickly.'[LNB]Speaking about the vitriol from the stands, the Middlesbrough boss added: 'That's the modern world and that's modern football. You accept that people are going to be abusive and, if you don't like that side of it, don't be involved in it. It's unfortunate but I'd rather it be aimed at me than the team because I can handle it.'[LNB] Eyes have it: Ryan Shawcross heads the winner for Stoke[LNB]Recent results will have tested the patience of Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson and Southgate said: 'My job's to keep the club in the division and, if the chairman thinks there's a need for change and change would help, then he'll do it.[LNB]'He's an incredibly supportive person with a very stable football club but he's also a ruthless businessman and, if he thinks change would assist things, he would do it.'[LNB]Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: 'That is the first time we have scored direct off a long throw since the beginning of the season. I think we scored eight in 13 or 14 games and after that it dried up so we are oiling Rory up again to make sure we get that quality. It is a great weapon.'[LNB]Stoke midfielder Liam Lawrence was relieved after they snatched a win despite James Beattie squandering three excellent chances - including a simple opportunity with a header.[LNB]Lawrence said: 'It was a horrible game but a massive result. That has put them in real trouble. It's "dog eat dog" down there.[LNB]'To be honest, the tension can get to you a bit. You feel it. We knew it wasn't going to be pretty. To be fair to Boro, they played some nice stuff here and there and were the better side in the first half. We rely on our set pieces and eventually one came off again but we'd not had a lot of joy up to that point.[LNB]'Beatts (Beattie) is laughing in the dressing room now because the goal got him out of the mire for missing that great chance.[LNB]'To be fair, I'd have put my house on him scoring that one.'[LNB] Southgate: Boro won't change and we can play our way out of trouble[LNB]Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0: Late strike from Shawcross boosts survival hopes[LNB]DES KELLY: For Boro's sake it's time to go, Gareth[LNB] [LNB] [LNB]
