Middlesborough 0 - 1 Cardiff City. Match Reports

http://www.cardiffcity-mad.co.uk/rpr...84/index.shtml

Joe Ralls wins it with an 84th minute penalty.

<p>Cardiff kept up the pressure on Sky Bet Championship leaders Wolves as Joe Ralls' late penalty secured a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.</p>
<p>Ralls drilled home from the spot in the 84th minute after substitute Adama Traore was penalised for a reckless challenge on Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The win keeps Cardiff in second position in the table, two points behind Wolves, and saw Neil Warnock's side bounce back after picking up just one point from their previous two games.</p>
<p>Middlesbrough barely tested Bluebirds goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, and the Teessiders have slipped into the bottom half of the table after failing to win any of their last five games. Boro have struggled in the early stages of a number of their matches this season, and they were on the back foot once again as Cardiff dominated the opening quarter of an hour.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAA pWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY 9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wO HiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GP T6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90G Sy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAA AElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BahE5zOh4SK/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Joe Ralls from the spot (again in the north east) wins the game for Cardiff City. FT 0-1</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Michael Morris (@m4morris) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-10-21T16:31:06+00:00">Oct 21, 2017 at 9:31am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
<p>The visitors should have scored in only the fifth minute, but Danny Ward shot tamely at Darren Randolph's legs after the Boro goalkeeper had seen his attempted clearance charged down by Junior Hoilett.</p>
<p>Ward went close again moments later, shooting narrowly over the crossbar after cutting in from the left-hand side, and the nervousness in the Boro ranks was exemplified by the sight of Daniel Ayala rolling a simple 10-yard pass straight into touch.</p>
<p>Cardiff threatened again midway through the first half with Ward narrowly failing to reach Joe Bennett's dangerous low cross as he slid into the six-yard box, but Boro improved as the interval approached and gradually began to create chances of their own. Britt Assombalonga fired over from the corner of the penalty area, before former Cardiff full-back Fabio da Silva also came close with a long-range effort.</p>
<p>The hosts twice came within inches of opening the scoring at the start of the second half, with Stewart Downing responsible for both efforts. The former England international saw a goalbound drive deflect narrowly over the crossbar after flicking off the head of Cardiff defender Sol Bamba, before his curled free-kick from the edge of the area also picked up a deflection as it drifted narrowly wide of the left-hand post.</p>
<p>Bamba was involved at the other end shortly after the hour mark, and the Cardiff centre-half was adamant he had scored after a penalty-box scramble. His prodded effort from Sean Morrison's square ball was hacked away by Assombalonga, who was standing on the goalline. Cardiff's players were adamant the ball had crossed the line, but referee Andrew Madley waved play on.</p>
<p>Madley was involved again with seven minutes left, but this time his decision was rather more to the visitors' liking. Traore flew into a reckless challenge as Mendez-Laing turned in the area, and the referee rightly pointed to the spot.</p>
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<p><img title="C:WindowsTempphpF1E7.tmp" src="http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/120/912284-2.jpg" alt="C:WindowsTempphpF1E7.tmp" width="600" height="418" /></p>
<p><img title="C:WindowsTempphpFB1C.tmp" src="http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/120/912284-4.jpg" alt="C:WindowsTempphpFB1C.tmp" width="600" height="374" /></p>
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<p>Ralls drilled his spot-kick past Randolph, and Cardiff should have added a second goal in the dying seconds, only for Hoilett to head Mendez-Laing's cross wide of the target.</p>
<p><strong>Cardiff City:</strong> Etheridge; Manga, Morrison(Capt), Bamba; Peltier, Ralls, Bryson, Bennett; Mendez-Laing (Paterson 89), Hoilett; Ward (Bogle 89).</p>
<p>Not Used: Murphy(gk), Tomlin, Feeney, Halford, Damour,.</p>
<p><strong>Middlesbrough:</strong> Randolph; Christie, Ayala, Gibson, Fabio; Leadbitter (Capt), Howson; Downing (Traore 78), Braithwaite; Fletcher (Bamford 67), Assombalonga.</p>
<p>Subs Not Used: Konstanopouls(gk), Friend, Clayton, Fry, Johnson.</p>
<p><strong>Att:</strong> 24806</p>

Wales Online

Neil Warnock’s hold over Middlesbrough continued as a Joe Ralls penalty saw Cardiff City bounce back with a late win at the Rivderside.

No manager has won more times against Middlesbrough in the modern era – and he made it ten victories when Ralls smashed home an 84 minute winner from the spot.

The crucial moment in a scrappy game – which will now pile the pressure on Boro’s manager, former Swansea boss Garry Monk – came as substitute Adama Traore chopped down Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Ralls made no mistake, scoring Cardiff’s first goal in three outings and ensure they did not lose ground on the table leaders with an impressive, functional win against one of the pre-season promotion favourites.

And the win will be more pleasing given the injuries suffered in the build-up, with Warnock having been keen to get over last Friday’s disappointing defeat to Birmingham.

Full article here
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/f...-city-13794549

The Yorkshire Post

Cardiff kept up the pressure on Sky Bet Championship leaders Wolves as Joe Ralls’ late penalty secured a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough. Ralls drilled home from the spot in the 84th minute after substitute Adama Traore was penalised for a reckless challenge on Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The win keeps Cardiff in second position in the table, two points behind Wolves, and saw Neil Warnock’s side bounce back after picking up just one point from their previous two games. Middlesbrough barely tested Bluebirds goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, and the Teessiders have slipped into the bottom half of the table after failing to win any of their last five games.

Read more at: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport...monk-1-8817189

The Gazette

Punch-drunk. That's what Middlesbrough were by the time referee Andrew Madley called time at the Riverside.

Moments earlier, Jonny Howson - in a desperate bid to get Boro moving and spark a late revival - spun on the ball and then started to stumble.

The summer signing fell to the ground almost in slow-motion. But there's nothing slow about Boro's slide at the moment - they are five matches without a win and a massive 12 points off league leaders Wolves.

Adama Traore inevitably hogged the headlines, but that's now a given. What isn't a given is what Boro's identity under Garry Monk is.

There was always going to be a 'bedding in' period. A summer of change on Teesside brought with it a new manager, a new coaching team, 10 new players and a new philosophy to be implemented.

Before the 1-0 defeat to Cardiff, Monk reassured fans that his new-look side had only lost one in 10. He was adamant that there were positives to be taken from the 2-2 draw with Barnsley seven days earlier.

But it's hard to dress up Boro's situation at the moment. One of the most expensively-assembled squads in the Championship is floundering.

Full article here:
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/f...ity-1-13794558