MIDDLESBROUGH AND SHAY Given survived the late drama of a missed Bolton Wanderers penalty to win 1-0 at the Riverside and climb six Championship places.
Given, signed by Boro on a one-month loan deal on Thursday, will be delighted with a clean sheet on his return to first-team action but it was not achieved without some tense moments. Bolton mustered just one shot on target but flooded the box to pressure Given whenever they were awarded a corner or free-kick near the box.
The former Premier League sides have fallen on hard times of late and the lack of quality on show was clear as the game was scoreless going into the final 10 minutes. Marvin Emmes was sprung from the Boro bench on 67 minutes and drew a foul in the Bolton box with eight minutes to goal. Grant Leadbitter slotted home to put the home side 1-0 up.
Bolton streamed forward in search of an equaliser and were set to get one after André Moritz was felled in the Middlesbrough box. Jermaine Beckford stepped up, with two minutes of normal time to play, but his effort was high, wide and not so handsome.
Boro endured five minutes of injury time and claimed a 1-0 win that moves them up to 15th. Newly appointed boss Aitor Karanka got off to a winning start and will be tempted to sign his goalkeeper up for a longer loan deal.
The clean sheet was Given’s first since a 0-0 draw, in Ireland colours, with Hungary before Euro 2012.
Put this in another article, but prob more suited here. Franco Smith of Glasgow won URC coach of the year. Friend would have been my pick. Remember when I first said that some said it should be Leo with only one loss in league, not sure if they feel the same way anymore. For Glasgow run to Challange cup final was good, but its URC Coach of the season so that competition doesn’t count in the reckoning. In URC Smith made playoffs and lost at home to Munster in Quarterfinal. For me Friend took Connacht with less resources than Glasgow and a more difficult fixture list, to the playoffs. Connacht were not expected to make playoffs, and made it and HCup, and won an away playoff meaning the went better than Glasgow. Connacht really overachieved this season, Glasgow did about as expected.
@Kingshu: agree 100%
@Kingshu: Would have Friend ahead of him also. Can make an argument for Rowntree also; first season, awful start, Munster playing a better style of rugby, took down 2 long running home winning streaks and are in the final.
Bit pointless to be comparing to last season when there were still some restrictions om attendances in some of the countries.
@0UWMNglt: seems like a nonsense stat alright
I hope the 5000 munster fans get to bring the league home. ( so it won’t have far to travel next season when win it back)
The Welsh clubs are so far behind. Have they ever reached 12,000 at any game? What has to be looked at is attendances at Welsh games. If the show grounds in Galway were enlarged there would be better crowds there.
Would like to see a breakdown per union home games – Ireland, Wales, Italy, South Africa, Scotland etc. You’d have to assume the Welsh regions would have quite a low average attendance. In addition, the SA home games I have seen appear to have very low attendances. Would love to see the non knockout games in SA have greater spectatorship in the stadiums. I remember watching Super rugby back in the early 00s, the fan base in South Africa was off the charts. Bulls, Sharks, Stormers ans The Cats all hvd hihe crowds at games. Was also lucky enough to get to a few fakes down in SA in 10/11 at Newlands. Full house everytime. Place was electric. May take a few years for the SA home base to commit to the URC.
@Steve Mccarthy: apologies for typos. Thumbs like big toes
@Steve Mccarthy: on wiki, its has each clubs average URC attendance.
There was 41,000 for judgement 2023 in the mileneum. Not to shabby. Double header. Lots or rugby fans in Wales, a good portion don’t follow the weslsh regions
@Paul Cassidy: South Africa could say the same. Huge rugby following there, just a lot follow more locally than the URC it would seem. I get it, it’s a huge country, imagine getting flights to follow your “home” team.