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Middlesbrough 1 Derby 0
TUNCAY Sanli clearly enjoys playing against Derby.
The Turkey international scored the only goal of the game when Middlesbrough travelled to Pride Park last December, and duly repeated the feat at the Riverside this afternoon.
His precise first-half strike was enough to see off a dreadfully limited Derby outfit that look destined to break Sunderland's record for the lowest Premier League points haul in a season.
And, just as significantly, his sixth goal of the season also eased Middlesbrough's relegation fears. With just seven more games to play, Boro are surely just one more win away from safety.
One goal always looked like being enough to decide a game that was low on quality throughout, and so it proved as Derby lacked the nous to break down a well-organised Boro rearguard.
David Wheater displayed the form that has earned him a maiden call-up to the England squad, and Emmanuel Pogatetz slotted in at centre-half to replace the injured Robert Huth with the minimum of fuss.
Boro were less impressive at the other end of the field, although Roy Carroll made two decent saves to thwart first George Boateng and then Jeremie Aliadiere.
Lee Cattermole impressed at the heart of midfield, but too many of Middlesbrough's passes went astray and Stewart Downing suffered one of those games went little went right.
Thanks to Tuncay, however, the three points still went the home side's way.
5:13pm Saturday 22nd March 2008
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