Goals:

1-0: Ayala (7, brought down a loose ball in the area, turned and then picked out the top corner)

2-0: Downing (31, ran onto a half cleared corner to fire low inside Pantilimon’s bottom right)

Referee: David Webb (Sunderland) - could have given a penalty to the visitors but overall nice to see him try to let the game flow. 7

Bookings: Dowell (12, foul); Figueiredo (34, foul)

Attendance: 25,812

Entertainment: **

Boro Forest

Shots on 7 3

Shots off 5 11

Corners 5 8

Offsides 2 2

Fouls 9 7

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-1-4-1):

6 Randolph: Did what he had to do when things came his way but didn’t have many saves to make;

6 Shotton: Did his bit down the flank and in the box to protect Randolph’s goal

8 AYALA: Scored one, could have had another and defended excellently throughout

7 Gibson: Made a couple of telling blocks when Forest threatened to make a game of it

7 Friend: Got away with a handball but defended strongly and joined in with attacks;

6 Leadbitter: Kept things ticking over in the middle and sent over the deliveries for the goals

5 Traore: A quiet game by his recent high standards and will need to be better in the run-in

5 Howson: Didn’t shirk anything and kept plugging away without being overly influential

7 Besic: Always on the front foot and looked to make things happen when he had space in front of him

7 Downing: Will be pleased to have finally got his second goal of the season, and against Karanka;

6 Bamford: Led the line well even though he failed to add to his goal tally

Subs:

Clayton (for Besic 63): Slotted in without fuss in the second half;

Assombalonga (for Traore 81);

Cranie (for Bamford 89)

(not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Fabio, Fry, Harrison.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Pantilimon 6; Darikwa 4, Figueiredo 4, Fox 5, Osborn 4; Watson 7, Colback 6; Lolley 6, Tomlin 5, Dowell 5 (McKay 59, 6); Velios 4 (Brereton 59, 5). Subs (not used): Kapino (gk), Lichaj, Mancienne, Guedioura, Bridcutt.

MAN OF THE MATCH: DANIEL Ayala – played like a playmaker at times and was always in the right place defensively too.