Nsue Sweeps Boro To The Top Of The League

Middlesbrough    1        Burnley    0

                                     Nsue  54

Emilio Nsue swept Middlesbrough to the top of the Championship with neat finish to see off promotion rivals Burnley at the Riverside.

Nsue, an international for Equatorial Guinea, has become a regular for Aitor Karaka this season, by cementing a position as a reliable full back.

Emilio Nsue celebrates the only goal of the game

He excelled just as well in a more advanced role on the right wing,  by turning home Adam Forshaw’s low cross from the right to give Boro all three points.

After tucking the ball under the body of goalkeeper Tom Heaton, he raced away into the far corner of the ground pointing to the name on the back of his shirt and pumping his fists with the jubilant crowd.

After waiting over a year for his first Boro goal at Huddersfield a few weeks ago, he was determined to make the most of this one and what a crucial finish it could turn out to be.

Boro are now top of the table on goal difference due to Brighton’s 2-2 draw with QPR, Karanka’s side will travel to the Amex on Saturday when the top two sides in the division will face off in front of the Sky cameras.

Perhaps more significantly, they are now eight points clear of Sean Dyche’s Burnley who offered little going forward in a tight and cagey affair.

Andre Gray is still the division’s top scorer but spent most of the game tangled in Daniel Ayala’s clutches. The Clarets haven’t won in the league for six games and have dropped down to fifth in the league, eight points off the pace. 

Like they have been for most of the season Boro were unspectacular but go the job done on their home patch, where they have lost just once all campaign.

They haven’t conceded at the Riverside in their last seven league games and have formed a defensively solidity that makes them difficult to beat.

There had been questions asked about the lack of firepower upfront, after Saturday’s goalless draw with Birmingham in treacherous weather conditions.

Here Boro only managed five shots on target and didn’t force Heaton to make an array of top class saves. The hosts were patient and when the chance came they took it, the margins are so fine at this level that games can often be decided in just a split second.

"Our performance maybe wasn't the best and not the nicest to watch but it's nice to look at the table and see us at the top. It means we're doing a good job, but we need to be there at the end of the season” said Karanka after the match.

The Boro boss made four changes from the side which played at the weekend as Kike replaced the suspended David Nugent and put in a workman like performance up front.

Another man who received his chance was midfielder Adam Forshaw, who performed admirably in the middle of the park in place of Grant Leadbitter,  and claimed the assist for the only goal of the game.

Elsewhere Albert Adomah and Christian Stuani dropped to the bench as Diego Fabbrini and Tomas Kalas took their places.

Things could have been different if Scott Arfield had equalised when the Burnley midfielder was presented with a decent sight at goal. His shot was tame and comfortable for Dimi Konstantopulos, who was rarely called upon.

"Tonight we played with calmness and assuredness, but we just let ourselves down in the final third” Said Dyche.

Boro almost took the lead after just nine minutes when Adam Clayton’s curling effort floated past the post. The hosts came even closer when Heaton kept out Ayala’s header with a strong right hand save.

At the other end Ayala made a firm challenge on David Jones to win the ball on the edge of the area. However George Boyd quickly emerged to pick up the pieces and test Konstantopulos with a shot from a tight angle, which the Boro keeper turned behind for a corner.

Clayton then fired another effort over the bar before Boro took the lead. Downing then produced one of his stellar attacking runs before firing a left foot shot toward goal, which Heaton prevented from going in the top corner.

With the clock ticking Burnley threw on strikers Sam Vokes and Rouwen Hennings in an attempt to find an equaliser. In doing so they left gaps at the back but Boro couldn’t exploit them.

Stuani, who had replaced Kike, rounded Heaton but couldn’t find the net from a tight angle then Adomah- another substitute- went through on goal but was thwarted by the keeper.

As news came through that Brighton had let a two goal lead slip at QPR, the chants of “We are top of the league” began to break out. However Boro’s position will be under threat when the top two meet on Saturday.

Player Ratings

Dimi Konstantopulos   7 - Made a couple of saves but was well protected by his defence

Tomas Kalas   7- Returned to the side with little fuss, defensively sound

Daniel Ayala   8- Championship’s top scorer Andre Gray didn’t get a sniff with the giant Spaniard around

Ben Gibson   7.5- Assisted Ayala well and swept up any danger that came his way

George Friend   7- Got forward regularly, often lost out trying to beat an extra man

Adam Clayton   7- Won the ball in the middle of the park and looked to start attacks

Adam Forshaw   8- Took his chance well, kept the ball moving and broke into the box to set up the first goal

Emilio Nsue   8- Accustomed well to the right wing position, tracked back when he had to and added a goal threat by tucking inside, which resulted in the goal

Stewart Downing   7- Moved out to the left, tracked back when required, almost scored in the second half

Diego Fabbrini   6- Went missing at times in the position behind the striker

Kike   6.5- Worked hard when Burnley were in possession, a little static when Boro won the ball

Subs

Grant Leadbitter   6- Came on with 25 minutes to go, slotted alongside Clayton allowing Forshaw to push forward

Christian Stuani – Came on for the last 15 minutes, not enough time to give a fair rating

Albert Adomah – Came on for the last minute, not enough time to give a fair rating

My Boro Man Of The Match: Adam Forshaw