Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Bristol City at the Riverside Stadium as the Robins romp to victory in front of their watching new boss Nigel Pearson
Tuesday 23 February 2021 22:26, UK
Nigel Pearson's Bristol City reign does not really start until Wednesday morning - but the new Robins boss could not have wished for a more immediate impact as his presence at the Riverside stadium helped inspire his new side to a 3-1 win over Middlesbrough.
City ended a seven-game losing run as they tore the promotion-hunting Teessiders apart, with all three of their goals coming in a 16-minute period in the first half.
Famara Diedhiou scored the first two, heading home Adam Nagy's cross and firing home a shot from just inside the area, and then set up the third as he flicked on to send Nakhi Wells racing clear of the Boro backline.
Dael Fry pulled a goal back for Middlesbrough with 10 minutes left but this was Bristol City's night as caretaker managers Paul Simpson and Keith Downing signed off in style. Pearson, watching on from the directors' box at the Riverside, will feel he has plenty to build from.
Middlesbrough went into the game buoyed by back-to-back wins over Huddersfield and Reading, but while they created a couple of early opportunities, they found themselves three goals down at the break.
Bristol City's main threat came on the counter-attack, and the Robins came close to claiming the lead in the opening quarter-hour when Diedhiou released Wells into the right of the area. Wells slipped a low shot past Middlesbrough goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli but a covering Paddy McNair hacked clear from just in front of the goal-line.
Diedhiou went close himself moments later, firing in a shot that Bettinelli clawed around the right-hand post, and the Bristol City striker was the key man again as the deadlock was broken in the 21st minute.
Nagy stood up a cross from the right corner of the penalty area and Diedhiou eased himself between Fry and Anfernee Dijksteel to head home his ninth goal of the season from the edge of the six-yard box.
His 10th goal of the campaign came just 12 minutes later, with Bristol City profiting from some uncharacteristic sloppiness from Boro's Jonny Howson.
The midfielder conceded possession close to the halfway line and after Tyreeq Bakinson combined with Wells to tee up Diedhiou on the right of the box, the unmarked Robins striker had the simple task of sweeping home his second goal of the evening.
Diedhiou and Wells' link-up play was too much for Middlesbrough to handle all night and the pair combined effectively again as the visitors added a third goal eight minutes before the break.
Diedhiou's flick-on from close to the halfway line sent Wells galloping clear and after outpacing Howson, the Bermudan striker slotted a simple finish past Bettinelli.
Boro's miserable first half was compounded by the loss of Ashley Fletcher to an injury and while the Teessiders dominated possession in the second period, they never really looked like hauling themselves back into the game.
Duncan Watmore curled a shot wide from the left side of the area but while the home side pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left, with Fry stabbing home from close range after Marvin Johnson crossed from the right, it was too little, too late.
Middlesbrough's Neil Warnock: "I'm devastated. I thought we started the game okay and I still can't see why Marc Bola has passed instead of shooting when he had a great chance early on. Then the next minute, they hoof a ball out and we've got three of our best defenders against one striker, and he ends up winning the ball and they score a goal from it.
"I don't know what to say about it really. If you can't defend when you've got three against one, you've got a problem. None of them have had the best of nights. I said at half-time, 'The scoreline is embarrassing'. I thought the attitude was good in the second half at least."
Bristol City caretaker boss Keith Downing: "[Pearson] was introduced to the players this afternoon at the hotel. He obviously spoke some wise words and wanted the players to show the abilities that they've got. That's obviously a fresh pair of eyes and the players have responded really well. Now we have to take that forwards. We're pleased to have him in the building and I'm sure he'll be a huge help to us.
"We met him for the first time today, although he came down at half-time and gave some advice to the players as well. The work was put in yesterday really, and then we travelled up and played the game. It's such a quick turnaround that he hasn't really had much time to work with the team yet. There's quality in the squad. If you look at the full squad, there's definitely quality there but we have had a horrendous amount of injuries and that has probably told."
