Middlesbrough got back to winning ways with a dominant 4-1 victory over QPR at Loftus Road in Sky Bet Championship.
After the weekend’s disappointing 3-0 collapse against Coventry, Boro bounced back with first-half goals from Riley McGree and Tommy Conway.
After Anfernee Dijksteel scored an own goal in the second half, Emmanuel Latte Lath killed the game off with a composed finish in the 87th minute and Dan Barlaser added a fourth in stoppage time.
Boro looked far more comfortable in the early stages and dominated possession in the final third as they looked the more likely to strike the first blow.
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Ben Doak produced some lovely play on the right wing for Middlesbrough as the Liverpool loanee’s cross was turned in by Riley McGree to give Boro a 1-0 lead at QPR.
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Emmanuel Latte Lath shows his composure as he rounds the QPR goalkeeper twice before cooly slotting it into the empty net to put Middlesbrough 3-1 up at Loftus Road.
Liverpool loanee Ben Doak starred for Michael Carrick’s side, dominating the right flank as Rangers left-back Hevertton Santos struggled to contain the teenager.
Doak’s quality began to show and he grew in confidence as he helped set up his side’s opener. The 18-year-old isolated Santos once again, showing explosive pace to beat him on the outside and drilling the ball across the face of the goal toward McGree who finished first-time past Paul Nardi.
QPR’s dreadful defending down that same side continued as Boro identified Santos as a weak link in Rangers’ back-line. A drilled pass between the defence left him chasing shadows before an identical ball, this time played by Finn Azaz, was played across to Conway who made it 2-0 after 35 minutes.
Boro keeper Seny Dieng came back to frustrate his former club with a series of fine saves to keep the score at 2-0, denying Kieran Morgan twice before an instinctive low save from Nicolas Madsen.
The hosts needed a response and after the break they threw numbers forward at a corner to finally get a goal of their own. A Lucas Andersen delivery was flicked on into a scramble of players in the six-yard box which ended up with Boro’s Dijksteel turning the ball into his own net.
They launched a late flurry in an attempt to force the leveller but Boro mounted a dangerous counter-attack which put the game beyond reach. Latte Lath was slipped through one-on-one and after some stepovers to take it around the keeper, he drilled his effort home from close range.
Barlaser curled a fourth into the bottom corner in stoppage time as Boro took all the points.
The managers
QPR’s Marti Cifuentes:
“It was a game that we started slow. In three minutes we conceded two which we should defend better, we reacted after that and their keeper made three good saves.
“At half-time we felt that we needed to keep believing, we put more pressure with our goal and kept pushing and risked more but a counter and a very good player came off the bench (Latte Lath) – it was over.
“They got it right, they had two shots and two goals and had the quality to finish the actions. It’s disappointing, today’s result, but we need to look forward and change the dynamic.”
Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick:
“I’m delighted, we had to work for it. Credit to QPR, they made us work but the quality was good and we showed character and composure to see the game through.
“It’s good for the boys, they gave everything, their attitude and effort is top drawer. It’s just experience with how to see games out, it was a test at 2-1 but we saw it out and the boys off the bench made a good impact for us.
“It’s a good step for us and to win, the way it happened, the boys will take a boost after they pulled that one off.”
