Goals:
0-1: Djuric (9, got in between Friend and Ayala to volley inside the far corner)
1-1: Friend (18, outjumped Baker in the area to glance in Traore’s corner);
2-1: Ayala (68, headed Traore’s corner over the line despite Brownhill’s efforts)
Referee: Andrew Madley (Huddersfield) – officiated the game reasonably well and tried not to stop it. 7
Bookings: Besic (9, foul); Friend (19, foul); Reid (45, foul); Clayton 56, foul); Pack (77, foul)
Attendance: 24,812
Entertainment: **
Boro BCity
Shots on 3 3
Shots off 18 7
Corners 4 2
Offsides 2 2
Fouls 16 17
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-1-4-1):
5 Randolph: Didn’t have too much to do but when he was called upon he did what he had to;
6 Shotton: Solid enough performance down the right
8 AYALA: Another goal to add to his collection
6 Gibson: Helped Ayala along and did what he could to keep out the Robins’ attacks
8 Friend: Impressive from start to finish in both directions and that included a fine goal;
6 Clayton: Didn’t hit the heights of the last promotion year but still played reasonably well;
7 Traore: Much better from the Spaniard after a few indifferent displays
5 Howson: Had an early effort fly over the bar and could have done with doing more
5 Besic: Will be disappointed not to have stopped the ball in the build up to the opener
5 Downing: Could have done with doing more in the final third;
5 Bamford: Had started brightly before the horrible collision with Flint.
Subs:
Assombalonga (for Bamford 35): Needs to show greater composure. 5
Fabio (for Downing 88)
Cranie (for Traore 90)
(not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Fry, Harrison, Baker.
BRISTOL CITY (4-4-2): Fielding 5; Bryan 5, Baker 6, Flint 6, Kelly 4 (O’Dowda 67, 5); Brownhill 6, Smith 5, Pack 7, Reid 5; DJURIC 7 (Pisano 46, 5), Diedhiou 4 (Taylor 67, 5). Subs (not used): Steele (gk), Eliasson, Magnusson, O’Neil.
MAN OF THE MATCH: DANIEL Ayala – no wonder Tony Pulis rates him so highly in both boxes.
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