Assombalonga salvages a dramatic late draw

WHEN he has been asked about Britt Assombalonga’s exile in the last few weeks, Tony Pulis has repeatedly insisted that the striker could still play an influential role in Middlesbrough’s promotion run-in. In terms of having an influence, a last-minute equaliser will probably do for a start.

Assombalonga’s 90th-minute header salvaged a point on an otherwise disappointing afternoon at the Pirelli Stadium that raised serious questions about Boro’s status as genuine promotion contenders.

Playing against a Burton team that have still not claimed a home win since the middle of September, Boro were heading for what would have been a deserved defeat before Assombalonga nodded home from close-range after his fellow substitute, Jack Harrison, chipped against the crossbar.

It was the classic case of ‘getting out of jail’, with Boro having turned in a display devoid of tempo and cohesion. Passes went astray, players wandered out of position, shots ballooned over the crossbar and even out of the ground. There were some poor performance under Garry Monk this season, but it is hard to remember a Boro side looking so completely clueless throughout the rest of the campaign. Just when the Teessiders should be peaking at a critical stage of their play-off push, they appear to be badly losing their way.

Assombalonga’s header will paper over some of the cracks, and defeats for Preston and Bristol City, and a draw for Millwall, mean Boro’s position has not been significantly weakened despite their desultory display.

Friday’s defeat to Wolves was understandable, even if it came against a side that finished with nine men. But failing to see off a Burton side that will almost certainly be playing in League One next season is a major concern, and Boro will have to improve markedly when they take on Sheffield United, Bristol City and Derby in a two-week spell that will go a long way towards determining their fate. Play like this in those games, and they can forget all about a trip to Wembley.

Burton have been in horrendous form for the majority of the season, and Nigel Clough’s side went into yesterday’s game without a home win since September 16. Typical Boro, then, that the hosts claimed a sixth-minute lead.

Pulis handed Martin Cranie a first start since his January move from Huddersfield Town, and whether it was because of rustiness or nerves, the right-back struggled to get to the pace of the game from first minute to last.

It was no coincidence that Burton’s opener came from his side of the field, with Lloyd Dyer afforded far too much room as he delivered a low cross from the left.

Two Boro defenders stood motionless as the ball made its way across the penalty area, and Marvin Sordell swivelled neatly to fire a first-time finish into the bottom left-hand corner. In terms of starts, it was hard to imagine much of a worse one.

The goal proved a precursor of what was to come throughout the rest of the first half, with Boro’s players combining to produce comfortably the worst 45 minutes of Pulis’ Riverside reign.

Lethargic, sloppy and devoid of attacking ideas, the Teessiders looked like the side battling against relegation rather than the team targeting the play-offs.

Jonny Howson and Mo Besic repeatedly gave the ball away at the heart of midfield, Daniel Ayala and Ben Gibson found themselves resorting to hopeful long balls over the top, and even Adama Traore was rendered utterly ineffective by some disciplined Burton defending.

Pulis spent most of the first half urging his players to get the ball in to Traore, but for all that the Spaniard has been in sensational form recently, there is a danger that Boro are becoming much too reliant on their jet-heeled winger.

All too often, Traore’s team-mates were looking to fizz the ball in his direction, and while he did his best to spin away from the players that were doubling up on him, the former Barcelona trainee cannot be expected to win every game on his own. If Boro are to finish in the top six, they are going to need some of their other creative players to start exerting much more of an influence.

Pulis effectively conceded as much nine minutes before the break, hauling off a furious Howson in order to throw on Assombalonga and switch to a 4-4-2 formation. Howson thumped the side of the dug-out in disgust, and in truth he was somewhat unfortunate. It could have been any of the ten outfield players that was asked to make way such was the extent of Boro’s underperformance.

Burton goalkeeper Stephen Bywater headed down the tunnel at the break without having made a single save, and had Damien McCrory been more clinical on the stroke of half-time, Boro could have found themselves two behind.

The visitors failed to deal with a routine cross into the box, but McCrory took too long as he shaped to shoot, and his effort was deflected wide of the right-hand post.

A sold-out away contingent booed Boro’s players off at the break, and there was very little for them to cheer in the opening stages of the second period either save for a weak back-post header from Ben Gibson that drifted harmlessly wide of the target.

In fairness, there was more urgency to Boro’s play in the second half, but their attacking remained extremely ragged and composure was still at a premium. Assombalonga’s partnership with Bamford did not really work, and while Traore made a couple of dangerous bursts down the right-hand side, Burton’s defenders remained relatively untroubled as they dropped back to defend on the edge of their own box.

Bywater was finally tested for the first time in the 56th minute – the Burton goalkeeper got down well to claim a long-range strike from Bamford – but his main scare came when he slid out of the area with the ball in his hands at the start of the second half. Referee David Coote was right to award a yellow card rather than a red one, but Clough would have had a few nervous moments given his decision not to name a goalkeeper on the bench.

Pulis had an uncomfortable moment of his own in the second half, with a Middlesbrough supporter wandering in front of the Main Stand to berate him for his side’s efforts as he stood in his technical area, but his side gradually began to assert some attacking pressure.

Besic shot straight at Bywater after a corner was cleared into his path, and Assombalonga blazed over the crossbar with eight minutes left after cutting in from the left-hand side.

That looked like Boro’s best opportunity of scrambling a draw, but Assombalonga went one better when he was presented with another chance in the final minute. Traore’s floated cross found Harrison, and the Manchester City loanee lofted a delicate chip against the crossbar. The rebound dropped invitingly for Assombalonga, and the substitute had the simple task of heading home.