Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis was ‘really pleased’ with his sides performance on Saturday, as they triumphed 3-0 over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
Boro were two goals to the good at half-time thanks to defenders Dani Ayala and George Friend. Ayala sneaked in at the back post to nod home Ben Gibson’s flick-on in the 24th minute, before Friend doubled their lead around ten minutes later.
The left-back picked up the ball 25 yards out and hit an unstoppable left-footed shot into the top corner of the net. The win was sealed when Adama Traore scored his first league goal in English football late in the second-half.
Pulls believed getting the first goal was crucial in the victory, “As soon as we got a goal we then went on and deservedly won the game” he said.
But it was the manner of the win and the effort shown by the players that impressed the new Boro boss the most.
“For the players to put in that kind of performance and show that bit of character, I’m really pleased.
“We played some good stuff at times, created opportunities, and when we had to roll our sleeves up and battle we restricted them to not many opportunities.”
Equally, QPR boss Ian Holloway saw the first goal as the turning point in the fixture.
“In the first 15 minutes we were causing them all sorts of trouble and I can assure you that Tony Pulis, who’s a friend of mine, wasn’t too happy.
“But unfortunately we got undone by a corner, which they’re brilliant at and we’re normally good at.
“We lost a flick at the near post and then Ayala is standing there and heads it in. It’s a mountain to climb after that.”
Middlesbrough now sit in 8th position, two points outside of the play-off places, and QPR dropped two places down to 16th.
