Match Review: Boro 2 Cardiff City 0

Boro made it four wins in a row after beating Cardiff City at the Riverside.

Second half goals from Isaiah Jones and Emmanuel Latte Lath secured Michael Carrick's side another impressive win. 

The Boro boss was forced into making changes after the weekend win at Watford with Rav van den Berg and Lewis O’Brien injured and Jonny Howson ill.

That presented opportunities for Lukas Engel, Tommy Smith, and Dan Barlaser with Sam Greenwood also called in for his debut, in place of Matt Crooks.

It was skipper for the night Dael Fry who had the first real involvement in the game when he cleared an Ollie Tanner cross after Seny Dieng’s initial parry.

It took almost half-an-hour before there was a real chance created and that came when Greenwood forced Jak Alnwick into making an important save after some good play by Boro.

Cardiff were compact and resilient, and Boro were dominating possession and looking to stretch their opponents.

The visitors did have an opportunity on the break when Dieng reacted well to thwart Karlan Grant, and Riley McGree also warmed the hands of Alnwick with a strike from distance.

Boro ended the half in the ascendancy, the final moments seeing Jones attempt to work himself an opening while Fry got his head on the end of a Greenwood ball into the box.

Barlaser had a shot at the start of the second half before Tanner rattled the bar for the visitors. Greenwood was next to try his luck as the second period started in lively fashion.

The goal came, though, and when it did, it was in Boro’s favour. Engel was the provider with good play down the left resulting in a low ball into the box which Jones converted at the far post.

With 20 minutes remaining, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Marcus Forss were introduced to proceedings in place of the tireless Josh Coburn and goalscorer Jones.

And it was substitute Latte Lath who put the seal on the win when he showed great wheels to sprint from the halfway line before composing himself to apply the finishing touch to double the advantage.

The second half was becoming a mis-match with Cardiff all over the shop as Boro drove forward. Sub Morgan Rogers came within a whisker of grabbing a third goal and in stoppage time Forss had an effort cleared off the line.