Middlesbrough 1 (Lankshear 57) Wolves 0
Wolves suffered just their second defeat of the Championship season as Will Lankshear’s second half header proved to be the difference for Middlesbrough to claim all three points at the Riverside.
As Middlesbrough used the match to celebrate their 150th anniversary, it was the all whites of Wolves against the all blues of Boro, who were wearing a special one-off kit for the fixture, and it was the hosts who had the best of the opportunities in the first half.
Nasser Djiga gifted a chance to Tommy Conway outside the Wolves box on 12 minutes, but before the Boro forward could get his shot away, Djiga pulled him down right on the edge of the penalty area, picking up a yellow card. Fortunately for Wolves, Lankshear couldn’t find the target from his free-kick.
Jose Sa was at full stretch to palm a shot away moments later before recovering to stop the ball crossing the line after rebounding off Hugo Bueno, while Sebastian Berhalter also had a couple of shots from distance for Boro, but he did not trouble Sa.
Wolves’ best opportunities of the half fell to Adam Armstrong, who almost caught Radek Vitek out with a loose pass out but the keeper recovered, while Marshall Munetsi headed two crosses wide of the target and saw a good effort from distance palmed away at full stretch by Vitek, while Tommy Doyle fired narrowly wide with the last kick off the half.
Half-time | Middlesbrough 0-0 Wolves
Just five minutes into the second period, Rafiki Said came on for his Wolves debut – having been absent since going off injured early the opening pre-season friendly away to Maidenhead United – after an issue for Rodrigo Gomes, but the forward was booked moments later for an apparent dive, even though those in white felt there was definite contact.
The deadlock was broken just before the hour mark, and unfortunately for Wolves, it was Boro who opened the scoring. After dealing with several crosses into their box, the Old Gold defence didn’t deal with Lankshear who climbed highest above Bueno at the far post before diverting his header past Sa.
As they went looking for an equaliser, Wolves had chances, but Munetsi, Said, Armstrong and substitute Fer Lopez were unable to trouble Vitek with their efforts going wide of the target. However, Boro could have put the game beyond doubt on 88 minutes when Kyle Joseph’s header cannoned back off Sa’s crossbar with his first touch after coming on. But the hosts held on at the other end to condemn Wolves to only their second league defeat of the season.
Full-time | Middlesbrough 1-0 Wolves
Middlesbrough | Vitek, Brittain, Malanda, Phillips, Borges, Morris, Berhalter (Ayling 70), Cozier-Dubbery (Joseph 87), McGree (Sarmiento 80), Conway (Peart-Harris 70), Lankshear (Arfsten 87).
Unused subs | Brynn, Byram, Barron, Castledine.
Wolves | Sa, Trippier, Djiga, Toti, Bueno, Andre (Neave 82), Munetsi (James 61), Doyle (Lopez 61), R Gomes (Said 51), Mane (Bellegarde 61), Armstrong.
Unused subs | Virginia, Tchatchoua, Krejci, Konan.
