Middlesbrough find their 20-goal hero as Chuba Akpom hits double in thrashing of Reading

MICHAEL CARRICK hailed Middlesbrough history-maker Chuba Akpom after the striker ended a 33-year-wait for a 20-goal striker on Teesside.
By Dave Hampson
Published 5th Mar 2023, 11:54 BST

Akpom became the first Boro striker to score 20 league goals in a season since Bernie Slaven in 1989-90 as he set Carrick’s side on the road to a 5-0 dismantling of Reading at the Riverside Stadium with a first-half penalty.

The Sky Bet Championship’s top scorer bagged a brace, taking his tally to the season for 21 – and sacrificed the opportunity to score a hat-trick when he allowed Marcus Forss to take a second Boro penalty and score their fifth of the afternoon.

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Aston Villa loanee Aaron Ramsey also bagged a double for the hosts, who closed the gap to second-placed Sheffield United to four points after the Blades lost at Blackburn.

TOP MARKS-MAN: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game against Reading at Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PATOP MARKS-MAN: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game against Reading at Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA
TOP MARKS-MAN: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game against Reading at Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA

“It’s a terrific achievement,” said Carrick of Akpom hitting and then moving beyond the 20-goal mark.

“It’s not easy to score that many goals. He’s scored all different type of goals for us since I’ve been here. I thought his performance was fantastic.

“He gets credit for his goals but his performance all round was terrific. And because we have threats in different areas, he ends up getting a bit more space. To score that many goals, hopefully he can carry on and set a new target for himself.”

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Akpom set Boro on their way to a comfortable victory from the spot before Ramsey added a second in first-half stoppage time.

ON THE SPOT: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom scores his side's first goal against Reading at the Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PAON THE SPOT: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom scores his side's first goal against Reading at the Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA
ON THE SPOT: Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom scores his side's first goal against Reading at the Riverside Stadium Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA

The first-half scorers both helped themselves to a second as Boro flew out of the blocks in the second half, before Akpom allowed Forss to take a penalty that the former Brentford striker had won.

Carrick said: “It’s just being a team player, credit to him for that. Not many would have done that, but he understands it’s about the squad, all the boys being in a good frame of mind.

“His first penalty was a good one and it would have been easy for him to grab it but he understands how grateful Marcus was to have a chance to score.”

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It is now seven league wins in a row for Boro at home, who bounced back after suffering defeat at West Brom last week.

Middlesbrough: Steffen, Smith, Fry, Lenihan, Giles (Bola 58), Howson (Barlaser 58), Hackney (Mowatt 68), McGree (Forss 68), Akpom, Ramsey (Jones 82), Archer. Unused substitutes: Dijksteel, Roberts. Reading: Bouzanis, Yiadom (Holmes 67), Salif, Sarr, McIntyre (Guinness-Walker 80), Hendrick, Casadei (Fornah 67), Meite, Ince (Lucas Joao 77), Long (Azeez 67), Carroll.Unused substitutes: Dann, Boyce-Clarke.Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Related topics:Chuba AkpomReadingMiddlesbroughTeesside