Danny Graham’s two first half goals ended Middlesbrough’s goal drought and saw his side to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Blues at the Riverside. The on-loan Sunderland man followed up after Dean Gerken had saved Mustapha Carayol’s shot in the 29th minute, then headed home ex-Blue Grant Leadbitter’s corner moments before half-time.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side with Paul Taylor again starting in a three-man attack. Luke Hyam and Jonny Williams returned from hamstring injuries to take places on the bench.

Academy second-year scholar Teddy Bishop travelled with the senior squad for the first time — Anthony Wordsworth having suffered a back problem in Thursday training - but was not included in the 18.

Frazer Richardson was unavailable against his parent club, while skipper Carlos Edwards also didn’t make the trip.

Boro made six changes from the side which lost 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday last week with former Town man Leadbitter returning and skippering the side.

After the home side had won a corner within the first 30 seconds, Taylor carved out the game’s first opportunity, getting behind one-time Town target George Friend on the right and cutting the ball back to Frank Nouble, who returned the ball to the former Peterborough man in an offside position when he might have looked goalwards himself.

The Teessiders, without a goal in their last seven games, went closer in the fourth minute when Graham laid the ball back to Taylor’s former Posh team-mate Lee Tomlin, who shot just wide from the 18-yard line.

Boro probably should have gone in front in the 12th minute when Emmanuel Ledesma’s freekick from the right fell to Friend, who blazed over from 10 yards when he ought to have done better. Four minutes later the former Doncaster left-back cut in and crossed but Graham headed well over.

Friend was proving to be the home side’s biggest danger early on and on 20 he again cut in from the left between Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra but smashed his shot high and wide.

Carayol, a scorer in last year’s corresponding fixture, hit a low strike which Gerken tipped wide in the 21st minute, although the ball appeared to be going past the post in any case.

The Teessiders continued present the greater threat and in the 26th minute Berra did well to get back to stab the ball away from Graham with the striker through behind the Blues’ backline.

Taylor almost put Town in front in the 28th minute after a speculative Daryl Murphy shot had deflected to him on the right of the area. The Liverpudlian curled a shot just over with the outside of his right boot and clearly thought he should have been celebrating his second goal of the season.

Two minutes later, the home side went ahead via their first goal in 12 hours and 14 minutes of football. Gerken couldn’t hold on to Carayol’s low shot to his left and Graham was quickest to react to stab home his first goal since returning to Boro from six yards.

The impetus was very much with the home side after the goal, Carayol making a couple of strong runs down the left, Cresswell first turning the ball to Gerken from close range ahead of Nathaniel Chalobah, before the Blues keeper challenged the winger as he looked to cut the ball back from a tight angle on the left.

As half-time approached, Boro continued to look the more threatening side, Ledesma seeing a 30-yard volley deflect wide after a corner had been cleared to him.

Soon after the fourth official had raised his board, the Teessiders increased their lead. Ex-Town skipper Leadbitter sent over a corner from the left and Graham got in front of Berra at the near post to flick a header across Gerken and into the net.

Boro were well worth their lead at the break, having controlled the game for the most part, creating the vast majority of the chances.

However, the half may well have panned out very differently had Taylor taken his chance shortly before Graham ended his side’s long wait for a goal.

McCarthy switched Luke Hyam for Nouble ahead of the restart with Paul Green moving to the right in a 4-4-2 formation.

Seven minutes after being introduced, Hyam was booked for a foul on Carayol in front of the technical area.

Green did well to turn Carayol’s cross from the right behind ahead of Chalobah in the 58th minute after the winger had got round the outside of Chambers on the Boro right as they broke after Town’s first corner of the afternoon.

A minute later, Cresswell shot well wide from a freekick 30 yards out after Green had been fouled by Ledesma. Soon after, Green scuffed a similarly wayward effort when well placed just outside the box.

Berra required treatment for a knee problem following a solid challenge with Friend, then in the 66th minute Murphy struck Town’s first shot on target but his effort on the turn was easy for Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos.

Three minutes later, McCarthy swapped Taylor, who had worked hard but without having the same impact on the game that he did a week ago, for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Moments later, Ledesma was booked for dissent, then Chambers joined him in the referee’s book for a foul on Carayol, who he pulled back after he had got away from him as the home side broke after a Town corner.

New loanee Jonny Williams was handed his Blues debut in place of Tabb 18 minutes from the end, while Boro switched goalscorer Graham for Kei Kamara.

Town, who were continuing to give the ball away cheaply as they had all afternoon, weren’t looking particularly likely to pull a goal back, while the home side didn’t appear to be overly concerned about adding a third.

Chambers blocked Boro sub Kamara’s shot in the 79th minute before the outstanding Carayol was replaced by Curtis Main to a warm ovation from the home fans.

Smith headed Cresswell’s left-sided corner well over with six minutes remaining, then in injury time Green curled a shot just wide after being found in space in the area by Cole Skuse.

Boro sub Main might have made it 3-0 soon afterwards, but diverted Kamara’s low cross from the right into the side-netting.

Berra forced Konstantopoulos into his most significant save of the afternoon in the final minute of injury time. Williams chipped a cross from the right, Berra nodded goalwards at the far post and the Greek keeper palmed the ball over.

But a Town revival never really looked on the cards. The home side had been deservedly in front at the break and their lead never looked under any serious threat in the second half.

The Blues were lacklustre throughout, giving the ball away far too easily and — aside from Taylor’s first half chance — creating little until the closing stages.

Town remain ninth still four points from sixth ahead of Tuesday’s trip to relegation-threatened Yeovil, who beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at home today.

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Gibson, Chalobah, Varga, Carayol (Main 80), Leadbitter (c), Friend, Tomlin (Butterfield 77), Graham (Kamara 72), Omeruo, Ledesma. Subs: Steele, Williams L, Atkinson, Morris.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Cresswell, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Tabb (Williams 72), Green, Taylor (Ebanks-Blake 69), Murphy, Nouble (Hyam 46). Subs: Loach, Anderson, Hunt, Mings, Williams. Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire). Att: 13,965 (Town: 450).

Photo: Action Images

Jimmy86 added 18:54 - Mar 8 You really couldnt make it up. Boro hadn't scored in 12 hours of football. Danny Graham hadn't scored in 14 months for 3 different clubs and both ended their respective goal droughts today. Disappointing to say the least but you just get the impression teams always have a chance against us. Its other things like when we play a team who hasn't won in 7 games they manage to get a result against us. We dont even seem to be as solid as the 2nd part of last season either. In the summer we need players with pace and creativity because the "stubborn and beligerent" style doesn't have theright balance

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Hegansheroes added 19:04 - Mar 8 So all them lovers are finally seeing what we have got an inept tactically naïve manager who remains faithful to his boys ie Tabb Nouble Gerken. Blueboy 1981 says MM should be thinking about planning etc, I hope MM is working out how he's going to get to Barnsley from Bromley because I hope to hell he;s not the Town manager next season. Was going to the Brighton match but have just phoned my mate in Worthing to tell him don't get me a ticket. This is as bad as it gets as far as football & entertainment go & I was so disappointed when McCarthy was instated as manager because I knew what we would get. Doubt I'll be at PM again this season.

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BillBlue added 19:13 - Mar 8 JWM So you have woken up - at last? Apologies will be accepted.
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NoelTheDub added 19:20 - Mar 8 This result has nothing to do with no money or small squad as many pro MM post on here.The writing was on the wall before a ball was kicked with the team selection. Why is Mick boring the pants of us at this stage of the season with 8 or 9 defensive players and on top of that some of them out of position.Hes making Chambers look bad ,Green on the wing ,Tabb not played a good game for us ,and the icing on the cake is no goals Nouble starting every game.Iv said many times on here this is MM thinking and we have to put up with it but what annoys me most about MM is he talks one thing and does the opposite ie today we need to get 6pts before Wigan come to us,Mick you were never going to win this game today as your tactics and formation is wrong most weeks..

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Steelmonkey added 19:35 - Mar 8 Not the first time this season that peolple have said that "we didn't turn up", "no shots on goal", if the team can't be bothered no wonder PR is so empty these days. Obviously saving themselves for the trip to Yoevil. Do we really have to play it so safe, so negative. Can't believe they scored from a Leadboots corner, surely he always hits the first defender. Well that truly puts us as finishing below the top six, if we can't dispatch teams like Boro' we do not deserve a play off place. This season does have to go down as being a partial success, if only for not being in the position of fighting a relegation battle. As for bringing on Hyam for Nouble, did MM deem the game lost so used it as a chance to give him game time, match fitness? Just what sort of show are we going to put on against the likes of Wigan and Derby in the coming weeks.

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Umros added 19:48 - Mar 8 1 Goal in 4 games............mid table mediocrity i'm afraid.
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JWM added 19:51 - Mar 8 Bill blue it's called being sarcastic!
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Walk_the_Wark added 19:52 - Mar 8 McCarthy out! Been saying this for months. It aint gonna get any better folks
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jas0999 added 19:52 - Mar 8 A very poor result and performance, which yet again demonstrates how average we are. The selection of Tabb is baffling, but in fairness the entire midfield have been poor all season (with only a couple of decent individual performances). As a unit they must be one of the worst in the league ... They score only very occasionally and create virtually nothing. Having said that, the current strike force probably wouldn't score if given the chance! Noubles goal scoring record speaks for itself, whilst although Murphy has scored a few goals, he's been inconsistent and at least three of his goals he almost managed to miss, such as last week! Sindre - although I don't always agree with your posts ( but accept and appreciate your opinions), I genuinely feel for you having to travel so far to watch such rubbish! Safe journey home.

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JWM added 19:54 - Mar 8 Forest got beat by Barnsley and Leeds got hammered by Bolton! This is the very nature of the Championship for Christ sakes! Derby got beat by Millwall and yet you all moan because we got beat by Middlesborough away!
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Cloddyseedbed added 19:55 - Mar 8 Oddball - you say if McCarthy goes someone else has to come in and start all over again. I think with the majority of players we have now whoever is in charge will have to start all over again. Every season we seem to start all over again! The players we have apart from 2 are just not good enough. We were told when McCarthy and his team came here that they were renowned for scouting raw talent and turning them into stars! We were told money would be made available. What bullsh*t are we going to be fed in the summer months to try to tempt us to get season tickets again next year. My football fanatic daughter summed it up tonight by saying I don't want a season ticket next year dad do you? I'd rather go and watch Needham Market or Bury, it's cheaper and you get more excitement and action. With the present owner and manager I can not see it changing for the better. Sorry I will stop going after this season to watch Ipswich, I have not missed a season since 1968 but I do not want to go and watch such an appalling quality of football from such poor players we now have at the club.

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BillBlue added 20:01 - Mar 8 JWM Oh, a real pity. Thought you had come to your senses. Let me know when you do!
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thebeat added 20:01 - Mar 8 Oddball its not an over the top reaction. This isnt about one game. This is about a manager who consistently sets up for 0-0 draws by playing defensive minded workhorses, sometimes out of position when he has better options in the squad. Its also a manager who blatantly has favourites and will set his team up just to play them. Im sorry but nobody can tell me Tabb and Nouble are good enough to warrant their place in the side. And why take Williams on loan, pay all his wages and not play him? Ridiculous! Nouble plays in a 3 because he can hide more, thats the only reason Mick plays 4-3-3. Its in no way an attacking formation cus he plays 3 dogs of war in the middle, 2 of which quite obviously arent good enough to anybody with 2 eyes. Dont get me wrong i never expected play offs this year but we have thrown so many points away this season due to poor team selection, favouritism and boring negative tactics. Boro as the likes of Blackpool, Charlton, Watford and Barnsley (twice) have been this season were there for the taking today, no goal in 12 hours, no win in 7 and a striker with a worse recent record than the second coming of Pele Mr Nouble but we lost it before we even kicked off because Mick bottled it as he always does. I for one am fed up of this cowardly attitude. Ive never said i want him out, i just wanted him to be fair with his team selections and send us out to win, but if this is how its gona be next season then i dont want him here, id rather someone like Karl Robinson from MK Dons or even a foreign coach, the Brighton boss seems to be doing ok and they play good football, theres plenty out there. But im not paying £400 out plus matchday expenses to watch the drivel ive had to watch this year. Id rather win or lose 4-3 every week rather than play for a 0-0, its just not the football i was brought up on. I leave my 4 kids at home every 2 weeks for the day to watch the club ive loved all my life out of pure loyalty, but maybe not anymore, i just dont look forward to or enjoy going anymore, its just not worth it.

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JWM added 20:01 - Mar 8 Cloddy you only have Evans to blame for that.
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Cloddyseedbed added 20:11 - Mar 8 JWM - I do blame Evans but I also now blame McCarthy. It is his choice of players that he is bringing to the club, his team selection, tactics and choice of football to be played out on the football field. They can both stick it!
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Cloddyseedbed added 20:16 - Mar 8 Bury Town Ladies have a home match at Ram Meadow tomorrow (Sunday) ko 2pm in cup semi final against Witnesham. Go along long suffering supporters of ITFC. You will see attacking football, dribbling, passing, long range shooting and goals. I have had more entertainment watching them than Ipswich this year and it costs nowt!!
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thebeat added 20:22 - Mar 8 JWM i see you minused me as normal? Are you honestly saying you disagree with what ive put? If you are happy with where we are as a club and the ethos we currently have and the shocking quality of players that get picked ahead of better players then i genuinely feel sorry for you, you expect little out of life.
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wayway added 20:23 - Mar 8 When will you all wake up to the fact that there will be no planning for next season, no money for transfers and no interest from the Marcus Evans consortium. I have said many times the 'Corporate Evans, is the root cause of the clubs problems. They have no use for the club any more now they now there is no chance of promotion to the Premership and therefore no rakeoff for themselves. As for McCarthy (Boring Billy), who would cross the road to watch the dire dross he churns out each week with his team selections. He will never be sacked because the consortium are not interested in the way we play or where we finish. The only hope is another club could come in for him. Leeds perhaps

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Letchworth_Blue added 20:25 - Mar 8 Cloddy, sorry mate no can do. Gonna see my boy play in cup semi-final tomorrow - Letchworth Eagles U10 v Stotfold Junior U10. COYE!
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TimmyH added 20:26 - Mar 8 Our away record has been terrible since Boxing Day when we beat the might of Doncaster, the only 2 other away wins before that have come against other poor teams including Charlton and the dire Blackpool - that really says it all and numerous other draws. That about sums us up...
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Hiltzkooler added 20:28 - Mar 8 Where's Mick's apologists now.....a one trick pony again exposed for his contrary team selections...as other posters have mentioned there was an optimum team selection to make with tactics to match...and Mick decides to plump for the negative....."strong in arm, thick in 'ead!" ..hey Mick?
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Lightningboy added 20:42 - Mar 8 We're in a right sorry state at the moment. I don't think it matters what players we bring in during the summer - the problem is our lack of any style or excitement as a team..would love to know how many blanks we've fired in the first half this season? As soon as we go 1-0 down I feel like that's match over and that's not how it should be..I wasn't expecting us to start playing like Barcelona when Mick took over but I didn't think we'd become so soulless as a club. Where do we go from here ?...we're not playing the Ipswich way anymore and haven't done since Magilton left.

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blueherts added 20:51 - Mar 8 I have been on here afew times defending MM and TC for what they have done and where we were Well I am now seeing the 'other side' , maybe the stubborn - my way or the highway side Yes , of course you can only play with what you have got but to me it seems since David Mc has got injured we have been so negative - - u could look at the formation and see a front three but we are so far off being an attacking force Nouble is not and never will be a championship striker Chambers is a good centre back but any team that sees our line up will put quick players eg Bournemouth Leicester , Boro against him and he is exposed Then the thing that got me today was vs a team not having scored in 11 hours e have a chance to play two attack minded players in Taylor and Williams and we carry on with Tabb - who - lover of classics as he may be - is not a classical player to watch Then !! at 2-0 down we need some spark so we take off a 'striker' ( Nouble) and bring on a defensive midfielder who has not played in a month I am sorry - I finding it harder by the week to defend the 'indefensible' !! We are not going down and lets be honest not going up so why not bring Marriott back and play for next season But of course we are a business and whilst there is still a chance the finance boys want the premiership I sometimes think that this 'Premiership' is the worst thing for English football !!??

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JWM added 21:04 - Mar 8 thebeat I am very happy with the way mick is doing things thank you very much. I can see the bigger picture unlike most of you on here it seems! It really does amaze me that you genuinely believe that we have a wealth of talent in this squad waiting in the wings! The truth is that we really haven't. Mick has performed miracles with all the dross he has inherited and yet you can't see it. If you think we have a poor manager just look around you and look at Leeds who have spent millions and are still rubbish! If mick had just half the money that some have had we would be in the top six and comfortable. Unfortunately we have an owner who,will no longer invest in quality so we will just have to make do with what we can get. I suggest that you will have to get used to and accept the reality we find ourselves in. There is no magic wand or quick fix.

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thebeat added 21:18 - Mar 8 JWM do you seriously think its better to play Green on the wing instead of Anderson or Edwards against garbage like Blackpool? Seriously? Or Tabb on the left wing ahead of Hunt? Or Nouble over anybody? Do you actually go to the games and watch them? If you think things will change under Mick next year then dream on, we were better last season under him when he played Edwards and Martin on the wings, our football has gone backwards this year and so has Micks mind set. What would have been wrong with Williams centre mid today with Skuse behind him, Ando and Hunt on the wings and actually going at a team who havent won in 7 or scored for 12 hours? Or are you glad we played green and tabb instead with the clown upfront? You always stick up for Mick but never back it up with why he picks these players/tactics. How many people would go with those 3 over the 3 i mentioned? Not many. Would you? And if so on what basis?

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