Middlesbrough 2 Barnsley 1 - player ratings

For Boro their first home win since Boxing Day was deserved and ought to have been more comfortable, but Cauley Woodrow's 89th-minute penalty made it a nervy finish to the game.

Chief football writer Stuart Rayner assesses the individual performances at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough

Marcus Bettinelli – not much to do until the penalty 6

Anfernee Dijksteel – another given a quiet afternoon on the right of a back three 6

Dale Fry – dealt with Woodrow 7

Paddy McNair – a couple of thumping tackles and his free-kick ought to have been put in by George Saville 7

Marcus Tavernier – inadvertently set up two goals with good play 8

Jonathan Howson – scored a goal but booked and conceded the penalty 6

Marc Bola – one really good cross in the first half which did not get a touch 6

Sam Morsy – lively in front of Howson 7

George Saville – a good performance as Boro dominated midfield 7

Britt Assombalonga – led the line well 7

Chuba Akpom – did not have his shooting boots on in the first half but a second goal in as many games for his new club is not to be sniffed at 6.

Substitutes:

Coulson (for Akpom, 87) – N/A.

Not used: Stojanovic, Wood, Spence, Johnson, Wing, Browne.

Barnsley

Brad Collins – good in the first half, but his fumble set an unfortunate tone for the second 6

Michael Solbauer – one back-header in particular must have caused Collins palpitations 5

Michal Heilik – nearly scored an own goal 5

Mads Anderson – looked the most error-prone of a jittery back three 5

Jordan Williams – worked hard on a frustrating day 6

Alex Mowatt – showed his class throughout but needs more to work with in front of him 8

Marcel Ritzmaier – could have few complaints when he was withdrawn early in the second half 5

Callum Styles – put a good shift in at left wing-back 6

Luke Thomas – one of two players behind Woodrow, he was subbed midway through the second half 6

Dominik Frieser – served a beautiful pass by Mowatt, he turned the wrong way 5

Cauley Woodrow – converted his late penalty, hopefully it lifts his confidence 7.

Substitutes:

Victor Adeboyejo (for Frieser, 46) – thumped a dangerous free-kick over 6

Killian Ludewig (for Ritzmaier, 51) – Barnsley were better in midfield when he came on 7

Simoes (for Thomas, 67) – also an improvement on what went before 7.

Not used: Walton, Odour, Chaplin, Schmidt.

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