Boro start pre-season with a thumping away win

MIDDLESBROUGH kicked off their pre-season programme with a convincing victory as they strolled to a 6-0 success at York City.

Aitor Karanka fielded 22 different players at Bootham Crescent, but Boro’s superiority was evident throughout against National League opposition.

After opening the scoring through a Scott Flinders own goal, Boro added further goals through David Nugent, Albert Adomah and Adam Reach, with Jordan Rhodes also helping himself to a brace in the second half.

The only downside to an otherwise positive afternoon was the dislocated shoulder suffered by James Husband in the first half, with the full-back leaving the ground with his arm in a sling.

Karanka named a strong side for the opening 45 minutes, with the likes of Emilio Nsue, Adam Forshaw, Adomah and Nugent all featuring in the starting line-up, and Boro were the dominant side from the off.

Unlike last summer, when they had to wait more than an hour for a late Bradley Fewster goal to break the deadlock at Bootham Crescent, the visitors created a host of opportunities before the interval and found themselves three goals to the good at the break.

There was an early scare when York midfielder Clovis Kamdjo hammered a third-minute strike just wide of the post, but it did not take long for Boro’s Premier League class to show and they claimed the lead in the 19th minute.

Adomah, who was the best player on the pitch by a distance in the first half, crossed from the right, and while Carlos de Pena’s back-post header struck the left-hand upright, the ball rebounded off York goalkeeper Flinders and trundled into the net.

A helpless Flinders was unfortunate to concede on that occasion, and the goalkeeper was cursing his luck again as Boro doubled their lead four minutes later.

Boro youngster Alex Pattison released Nugent through the middle, and while the striker’s initial shot was well saved, he reacted quickly to roll the loose ball into the net.

The visitors’ third goal came ten minutes later, with Nugent once again heavily involved. Adomah’s through ball sent the striker galloping through the middle, but again his initial shot was saved by Flinders. Again, though, he seized on the loose ball, and this time he squared across the face of the six-yard box for Adomah to tap home.

Nugent side-footed over when he should have claimed his second goal shortly before the break, but as was the case last year, Boro’s opening pre-season outing was blighted by injury.

Twelve months ago, Alex Baptiste suffered a broken leg at Bootham Crescent, and this time it was James Husband leaving the field with what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder after he fell awkwardly close to the corner flag.

He was replaced by George Friend, who was the only player to play for more than 45 minutes as Karanka changed the remaining ten members of his team at the break.

That meant a first Boro appearance for Marten de Roon, who made an £11.75m move from Atalanta earlier this month, and Jordan McGhee, who played at centre-half following his loan move from Hearts.

York created the first chance of the second half when Kaine Felix drilled in a shot that was well saved by Dimi Konstantopoulos, but Boro should have claimed a fourth goal on the hour mark, only for Rhodes’ hesitancy to prove costly.

Having been released through the middle, Rhodes dawdled for what seemed like an eternity, enabling Jack Higgins to slide in and tackle him. The Boro striker spurned a number of one-on-ones in the second half of last season, and this was something of a repeat.

It was followed, however, by a moment that underlined the Scotsman’s qualities. Receiving the ball from Mustapha Carayol with his back to goal, Rhodes swivelled adeptly before cracking home a ferocious finish.

Reach claimed Boro’s fifth goal with 15 minutes left, breaking down the right to reach de Roon’s through ball and deftly lobbing the ball over York’s trailist goalkeeper.

York substitute Matty Dixon almost claimed a consolation when rattled the crossbar with a long-range strike, but the final word went to Boro, who claimed their sixth goal with three minutes left.

Reach crossed from the left-hand side, and Rhodes stole ahead of his marker to turn home his second goal of the afternoon.

York (4-1-3-2): Flinders (Trialist); Rooney (Robinson), Higgins, Fry, Whittle (Dixon 61); Kamdjo (Clappison 61); Connolly (Wardle 72), Heslop (Walton 61), Galbraith (Felix); Brodie (Fenwick), Klukowski (Nti).

Subs: Felix, Kennedy, Thompson.

Middlesbrough First Half (4-2-3-1): Mejias; Nsue, Baptiste, Morris, Husband (Friend 27); Forshaw, de Sart; Adomah, Pattison, de Pena; Nugent.

Middlesbrough Second Half (4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos; Halliday, McGhee, Jackson, Friend; Clayton, de Roon; Carayol, Downing, Reach; Rhodes.