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Middlesbrough 2 West Brom 0: Boro too strong as Baggies lose on Tony Mowbray return

Tony Mowbray's marked his Albion comeback with a 2-0 defeat at another of his former clubs Middlesbrough. 

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Hayden Hackney netted against Albion for the second time this season for an opener on half hour and Liverpool loan winger Ben Doak settled thing with a fine strike 10 minutes from time.

The double meant it was a defeat to play-off chasing rivals Boro for toothless Albion, who slipped to seventh and whose lack of striking options came to the fore.

The Riverside reverse highlighted why it is vital Albion support Mowbray - back in the north east where he served as player and boss and family reside - with the striker addition the squad craves with Josh Maja sidelined.

Middlesbrough were on a lean run ahead of the clash but two decent strikes from range made the difference, though Alex Palmer might have been disappointed with the first.

Home frontman Emmanuel Latte Lath was a thorn in Albion's backline but the visitors' frontline of Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana struggled. Mikey Johnston was lively but he and his side lacked end product.

The new head coach has vowed to make Albion more of an attacking force - and that will be some challenge given the current dearth of available natural strikers.

One of the night's clear highlights came moments before kick-off and not long after Mowbray emerged from the tunnel into the away dugout.

Three home stands, as well as the small pocket of 500 travelling Baggies, rose to welcome the returning boss. His name was chanted by Boro fans who also held a banner reading 'You won the biggest battle of them all'. Mowbray applauded in response.

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Callum Styles goes for goal for West Brom (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

The first 15 or 20 minutes was a sedate affair. Both sides had spells with the ball, Albion were noticeably more forward-thinking at times with their passing. Winger Johnston enjoyed himself in a couple of darts against the Boro backline.

But quickly Michael Carrick's hosts managed to wrestle control of the contest. Stand-in skipper Darnell Furlong's top defending was required to keep out dangerman striker Latte Lath, before the Italian lifted over from Hackney's low cross.

Albion responded with their only clear chance of the first half as Tom Fellows could not turn a deep cross from Grant on target on the slide from the back post.

Boro's breakthrough came just shy of half hour and was symptomatic of Albion's first-half struggles. Hackney was fed the ball 30 yards out in so much room. He advanced a few strides unopposed and decided to shoot. A swerving effort beat the Baggies' backline unchallenged and could not be kept out by Palmer who, diving to his left, got a decent hand to it.

Palmer might have been disappointed he could not quite turn it around the post.

Mowbray's men struggled to recover for the remainder of the first period as Boro's man advantage in midfield told. Former Albion academy product Finn Azaz had a strike beaten away by Palmer and Latte Lath mistimed a header when he might have done better.

Albion sniffed a rare opening or two before the break but Mowbray was left with his hands on head after Johnson, then midfield duo Jayson Molumby and Alex Mowatt neglected to shoot.

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Callum Styles and Ben Doak during West Brom's clash with Middlesbrough (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

Fellows' influence grew as the visitors enjoyed a strong start to the second half. The right winger got the better of left-back Neto Borges and one occasion Mowatt's fine ball for Johnston was well-recovered and an effort moments later was sliced at.

The visitors' early second-half dominance almost became an equaliser but Mason Holgate's header from Johnston's drifted cross found the foot of the left post.

Albion could not quite take advantage and Mowbray wasted no time with his changes to introduce Jed Wallace and John Swift in the 65th minute.

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Mikey Johnston on the ball for Albion (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

Wallace was required to lead the line having entered for Grant. The quiet Diangana was in support, which highlighted the lack of forward options. Devante Cole entered with 13 minutes left.

But there was little sign of a Baggies leveller by the time Doak received the ball from Latte Lath 25 yards out. His peach of a left-footed curler found Palmer's top corner to seal the win.

Teams

Boro (4-2-3-1): Glover; Ayling (c), van den Berg, Fry, Borges; Hackney, Morris; Doak, Azaz (Barlaser, 82), Burgzorg; Latte Lath. 

Subs not used: Dieng, Clarke, Gilbert, Hamilton, Forss, Engel, Palmer, McCabe.

Albion (4-4-2): Palmer; Furlong, Holgate, Heggem, Styles; Fellows, Molumby (Swift, 65), Mowatt, Johnston (Cole, 78); Diangana, Grant (Wallace, 65).

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Frabotta, Taylor, Racic, Diakite, Bostock.

Attendance:

Referee: Andrew Kitchen

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