Match Review: Boro 3 Norwich City 1

A sensational first-half turnaround aided Boro to a fourth successive win over Norwich City.

The visitors had hit the front through Ashley Barnes’ opener before a red card for Borja Sainz changed the complexion of the evening.

And the Teessiders capitalised with two quickfire goals to turn the game on its head with Lukas Engel adding the third, to truly reflect Boro’s dominance.

Including the return of Jonny Howson, who resumed the responsibility of the armband, Michael Carrick shuffled his pack with three alterations – Paddy McNair and Lukas Engel also in from the off to face the Canaries.

On a recent surge up the Championship standings, Norwich have suffered just one defeat since the turn of the year and were seeing large parts of the ball in the early exchanges.

A committed Seny Dieng did well to halt the advancing Dimitris Giannoulis, Borja Sainz bent wide upon the follow-up and the Boro keeper pulled off an excellent save to turn clear from Ashley Barnes.

Though the ex-Burnley man, would break the deadlock with a scruffy effort on 17 minutes, scrambling the ball underneath Dieng as Boro appealed for an offside flag that never arrived.

Despite the setback, the Teessiders responded brightly and, as Boro knocked the ball around neatly, Norwich were reduced to ten men, Sainz given his marching orders for lashing out at Howson.

After the early dismissal, it became a backs-to-the-wall job for the visitors and Carrick’s men were camped around the 18-yard box for large parts of the opening period.

And Boro were soon back on level terms via a beautifully-crafted equaliser, Marcus Forss stabbing home his sixth of the season after Riley McGree and Engel combined well down the left channel.

With the Teessiders firmly in the ascendancy, McGree squirmed wide of the upright, but the turnaround was complete before half-time.

As Matt Clarke delivered into the area, Norwich failed to clear their lines – leaving a cool Emmanuel Latte Lath able to find the corner.

Vying for a first-ever point against the Teessiders, David Wagner enacted a switch upon the restart, but it did little to halter the one-way traffic.

Howson curled narrowly wide and Angus Gunn managed to get a foot to O’Brien’s thunderous drive

Yet Boro’s bombardment paid dividends shortly after the hour mark - Luke Ayling’s deep ball finding his opposite full-back at the far post, with Engel burying the ball beyond Gunn.

Still Carrick’s men pressed. McGree stung the palms of the City keeper, substitute Anfernee Dijksteel bobbled towards goal and, bringing the ball out from defence, Paddy McNair’s marauding run forward ended in a blocked shot.

The Canaries barely laid a glove on Boro, who continued to make valuable use of the extra man - Marcelino Nunez diverting Engel’s shot clear following more incisive play.

And while a fourth was not forthcoming, there could be little complaint over the victor.