West Bromwich Albion endured their first home defeat since April, falling 1-0 to Middlesbrough at The Hawthorns in Tuesday night’s Sky Bet Championship clash.
Hayden Hackney’s second-half goal proved decisive, securing three points for Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough and ending Albion’s impressive home run. It sends Boro into the top six, within two points of the Baggies.
Carlos Corberán made two changes to his Albion starting line-up, with Alex Mowatt and Jed Wallace coming in for Ousmane Diakite and Tom Fellows. The match, however, was interrupted early on when assistant referee Rob Smith required medical attention. After a brief pause, fourth official Jacob Miles took over Smith’s duties, and the game resumed with both teams showing concern for the stricken official.
Middlesbrough began to assert themselves after the initial stoppage, threatening around the 25-minute mark. Alex Palmer, Albion’s No. 1, was called into action, first saving from Finn Azaz and then watching as Riley McGree skewed the rebound over the bar. Palmer again came to Albion’s rescue shortly after, brilliantly stopping a header from Emmanuel Latte Lath.
The Baggies responded with a few chances of their own as the half progressed. John Swift curled an effort over the bar, and Jed Wallace saw his side-footed attempt saved by Middlesbrough’s Seny Dieng. Wallace had another opportunity just before the break, following a swift Albion counter-attack, but his shot went wide, leaving both sides level at half-time.
Albion paid tribute to lifelong fan Mark Townsend, who sadly passed away recently, during the 57th minute, with a heartfelt applause from all four stands. This touching moment temporarily paused the action before Middlesbrough began to press for a breakthrough.
The visitors continued to create chances in the second half, with Luke Ayling and Latte Lath both coming close with headers. Ben Doak also saw an effort smartly saved by Palmer, who was doing his best to keep Albion in the game.
Despite his heroics, there was little Palmer could do to stop Hayden Hackney’s goal in the 73rd minute. Hackney found space at the edge of the box and guided a shot into the bottom corner, giving Middlesbrough the advantage.
Albion pushed forward in search of an equaliser, and they nearly found it eight minutes from time. Josh Maja, having beaten Dieng, saw his close-range effort narrowly miss the target. Maja had another chance during Albion’s late surge, but his shot hit the side netting, leaving the home side frustrated.
Middlesbrough, buoyed by Hackney’s strike, continued to look dangerous on the break. Substitute Delano Burgzorg came close to extending the visitors’ lead, firing just wide in the closing moments. Despite Albion’s pressure in the dying stages, Carrick’s side held on to secure a crucial victory.
The defeat was a blow for West Brom, who had previously been unbeaten at home for several months. Corberán’s side will look to bounce back quickly when they host Millwall this weekend, as they seek to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Statistically, it was a close contest, with Boro edging possession at 51% to Albion’s 49%. Both sides created chances, but Middlesbrough were more clinical, registering 14 shots to Albion’s 10 and crucially hitting the target more often. While the Baggies struggled to break down a well-organised Middlesbrough defence, Maja’s missed opportunities will feel like a key moment in the match.
Despite the result, there were positives for Albion, particularly in Palmer’s impressive performance in goal. His sharp reflexes kept his side in the game for long periods, and without his interventions, Middlesbrough could have sealed the win earlier.
West Brom now face a critical period as they look to recover from this setback. Their upcoming clash against Millwall offers an immediate opportunity to return to winning ways and reaffirm their position in the top tier of the Championship table. For Middlesbrough, the win represents a major boost as they look to climb the standings in what promises to be a highly competitive season.
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