Fans were right to boo, says Middlesbrough chief Jonathan Woodgate

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate: Looking over shoulder after defeat to Luton.Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate: Looking over shoulder after defeat to Luton.
Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate: Looking over shoulder after defeat to Luton.
WHILE Luton breathed new life into their fight for survival, Middlesbrough suffered again.

They now sit just six points above the bottom three, having failed to win any of their last nine matches, seven in the league, since winning on New Year’s Day. The home crowd booed at the end of each half.

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The Hatters avoided equalling a club record 13th defeat in a row courtesy of Ryan Tunnicliffe’s 17th-minute winner at the Riverside Stadium.

Tunnicliffe was on hand in the area to sweep a first time finish inside goalkeeper Aynsley Pears’ bottom right corner after Dan Potts’s cross was not dealt with.

It lifted Luton to within four points of safety and followed on from the midweek win over Sheffield Wednesday.

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Middlesbrough chief Jonathan Woodgate said: “I wasn’t happy at all with the performance. That’s all I will say. Anything is possible in the Championship, anyone can turn up and beat anyone, look at Barnsley at Fulham today.

“We didn’t play well and you can’t say they played well. They ground out a 1-0. They had one shot on target and we did. They got the result.

“They wasted time often. It was hard to get a foothold on it. Every time the ball went out they were taking an age. It was one of those games. I am very disappointed. We weren’t good enough.

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“I don’t blame the fans for booing us. I would have done the same. I do expect when the going gets tough, players should stand up and get on the ball and show character.”

Middlesbrough: Pears, Howson, Moukoudi, Friend, Spence (Gestede 69); McNair, Saville (Assombalonga 59), Wing, Coulson, Fletcher, Nmecha. Unused substitutes: Mejias, Shotton, Tavernier, Morrison, Johnson.

Luton Town: Sluga, Pearson, Carter-Vickers, Bradley, Potts (Bree 71); Cranie (Rea 76), Mpanzu, Berry, Tunnicliffe, LuaLua (Brown 83); Collins. Unused substitutes: McManaman, Hylton, Shinnie, Shea.

Referee: J Gillett (Australia).