REPORT: Middlesbrough U23s 3 Burnley U23s 0

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Clarets fade after bright start to suffer third straight defeat

2020-10-23T14:57:08.713Z

REPORT: Middlesbrough U23s 3 Burnley U23s 0

Clarets fade after bright start to suffer third straight defeat

2020-10-23T14:57:08.713Z

The Clarets suffered a third successive defeat as three second-half goals proved their un-doing in County Durham.

After a dominant first half the Clarets lost their grip after going behind the break.

And the Teessiders made them pay as they moved up to second place in the PL2 second division table.

Burnley are sitting towards the other end after a tough start to life at their new level.

But there are mitigating circumstances for Steve Stone’s side which is missing most of its senior players.

A handful of the more proven performers are still engaged in and around the first team as part of the bubble training with Sean Dyche’s men.

REPORT: Middlesbrough U23s 3 Burnley U23s 0 - Image 1

And their absence was again felt, despite an impressive opening burst at Bishop Auckland’s Heritage Stadium which could have led to some reward.

The Clarets made three changes to the side that had started Monday’s defeat to Crystal Palace with two trialists included and Joe McGlynn partnering captain Lewis Richardson in attack in another youthful line-up.

With Mace Goodridge starting his suspension for the red card he received against the Eagles, recent arrival Anthony Gomez Mancini moved into a central midfield spot.

And the on-loan Frenchman looked the part early on with his desire to get on the ball and pick a pass as he helped the Clarets enjoy the best of the first half.

His long-range effort which dipped just over the bar set the tone as the visitors played some excellent football which lacked only a cutting edge.

Ne-Jai Tucker then thundered a free-kick against the underside of the crossbar and when the Clarets’ wingman delivered another set-piece defender Jake Rooney – who again impressed in the opening hour – steered the ball wide at the far post.

REPORT: Middlesbrough U23s 3 Burnley U23s 0 - Image 2

The Teessiders have enjoyed a decent start to the campaign.

But they needed a helping hand from the Clarets to go closest to a goal before the break when a poor pass out from the back from one of the trialists presented Rumarn Burrell with a chance saved by the legs of Marc Richter.

And then when Boro did go in front 12 minutes into the second half the Clarets were again guilty of causing their own problems.

This time Gomez Mancini’s decision-making let him down as he lost possession on the edge of the penalty area and right-back Daniel Dodds burst into the box to fire past Richter.

The Clarets replied with a shot from Ben Woods which flew just over the top from outside the penalty area.

But their early control had disappeared and Boro doubled their lead with 15 minutes to go when Isaac Fletcher headed home a free-kick.

The Clarets might have sniffed a comeback had Richardson’s glancing header from a Woods free-kick not then been well saved by Sol Brynn.

But conceding from another set-piece with just over five minutes to go ended those hopes as an unmarked Jack Robinson powered home a header from a corner to secure his side’s third win in five games, which might have been even more emphatic but for two decent stops from Richter to deny Burrell in the dying moments.

Middlesbrough: Brynn; Dodds, Sykes, Kokolo, Robinson; Cornet, Hackney, Fletcher; Folarin (Gibson 70), Burrell (Green 90), Jones. Substitutes: Williams, Balde, Hemming.

Burnley: Richter; Fontaine, Rooney, Trialist (Trialist 63), Rain (Trialist 71); Trialist, Woods, Gomez, Tucker; Richardson, McGlynn (Harker 58). Substitutes: Thomas, Barrett.

Referee: Paul Marsden