West Bromwich Albion's unbeaten start to the Championship season ended with a 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday. Will Lankshear scored two second-half goals for the hosts, with Alfie Jones adding a late third after Jimmy-Jay Morgan had briefly equalised for the Baggies.
How did the match unfold?
The first half at the Riverside Stadium saw West Bromwich Albion control possession without creating many clear chances. Felix Horn Myhre shot wide after being set up by Jayson Molumby. Middlesbrough's best openings fell to Riley McGree, who shot wide twice. The first came after Isaac Price gave the ball away, and the second was teed up by Jeremy Sarmiento before the West Brom winger went off injured shortly before the break. Goalkeeper Max O'Leary made five saves for Boro, denying Ousmane Diakite from an own goal and Callum Brittain from a header.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half. Will Lankshear opened the scoring for Middlesbrough, netting his fifth goal in as many matches since his summer move from Tottenham. West Brom responded well. Isaac Price chipped a clever ball towards Jimmy-Jay Morgan, who headed home his fourth goal in five games since joining from Chelsea. The parity was short-lived. Lankshear struck again to restore Boro's lead, with Sebastian Berhalter denied in the build-up. A scuffed effort from Kyle Joseph and a shot from Luke Ayling led to the third goal, turned in by defender Alfie Jones.
What did the managers say?
Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg was delighted with his team's performance after the interval. "I'm very happy," Hellberg told the BBC. "The second half was brilliant from us. And what a big win against a team that hadn't lost." West Brom boss James Morrison felt his side had been the better team for long periods. "I think for large spells of the game we were in control," Morrison said. "We had the better share of the first half without really creating too many clear opportunities."
Where does this leave West Brom?
The defeat sees West Bromwich Albion drop points in the Championship for the first time this season. Before this match, they sat seventh in the table with seven points from four games, having won two, drawn one and lost one. Their recent form was DLWW. The team has scored seven goals and conceded six, giving them a goal difference of +1. They now find themselves three points behind league leaders Swansea City. The squad also faces an injury concern with Mikey Johnston currently sidelined, adding to the absence of Jeremy Sarmiento who was forced off in this match.
What is next for the Baggies?
Attention now turns to the next fixture, an away trip to face Derby County on Wednesday, September 9th. You can view the full schedule on our fixtures page. The team will need to address a poor recent record against Middlesbrough, having now lost six consecutive matches against Boro. Checking the latest standings will show how the pack has shifted after this weekend's results. Manager James Morrison will also be assessing his options on our injuries page as he prepares his squad for the challenge at Pride Park.
