LIVE FROM THE RIVERSIDE

MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Killen 25, O'Neil 36)
BARNSLEY 0

BARNSLEY have it all to do at the Riverside after a clinical Boro raced into a two-goal lead at half time.

He may have been a very late arrival at Oakwell earlier this afternoon but Manchester City youngster Keiran Trippier was thrust into the spotlight against Middlesbrough as Mark Robins handed the right back his Barnsley debut. Trippier came in to replace Ryan Shotton, who started a four game ban, in an otherwise unchanged side following back-to-back wins against Preston North End and Watford.

It was wet - very wet - as the Reds locked horns with Boro at the Riverside looking to a do a Championship league double over the ex-Premier League side. It was a much changed Boro from the one that faced Barnsley at Oakwell back in late December as Scott McDonald, Chris Killen, Willo Flood, Barry Robson, Stephen McManus, Lee Miller and Kyle Naughton pitched up at the Riverside last month. There was no David Wheater though, with the defender missing the match through injury.

Barnsley had the better of the opening exchanged and Andy Gray did well to feed Emil Hallfredsson on six minutes. The Icelander fizzed over a great cross but Filipe Teixeira just could not get a difficult volley in target from 16 yards.

The Reds were almost caught on the counter on eight minutes as an almighty scramble in the Barnsley area ended with McDonald bringing a fine save from Luke Steele. The Reds were able to clear the danger. Just.

Flood then had Barnsley at sixes and sevens at the back on ten minutes as he fired a fine cross over from the right hand side but Killen just could not apply a finish six yards out.

Hallfredsson was again the Reds best outlet and the Icelander created half a chance on 13 minutes as Anderson rose unmarked to meet his cross on the edge of the area but Danny Coyne was alert enough to prevent the ball creeping in under the bar.

It took 15 minutes but the curse of the referee almost struck Barnsley again when McDonald clearly and blatantly pushed Darren Moore before racing through on goal. Thankfully Steele was able to smother away the danger before it could get much worse.

Barnsley's defence went walkabout on 19 minutes as Killen somehow managed to break through one on one before doing all the hard work right by lobbing the ball over Steele. The Boro striker just had to roll the ball into an empty net but Trippier appeared from nowhere to make a goal-saving clearance right on the line.

Boro made their good spell count on 25 minutes as the Reds struggled to deal with Gary O'Neil's corner and Killen was allowed a free header just six yards out. He didn't miss.

Barnsley had a big shout for a penalty waved away just seconds after the restart as Teixeira tricked his way into the area before seeing his cross strike O'Neil. Nothing was given.

The Reds really should have been level on 32 minutes when Hugo Colace's deep free kick beat everybody to give Moore a header at the back post but the big defender could only plant his effort into the ground and over the bar.

Middlesbrough were given a huge slice of fortune on 35 minutes as O'Neil raced onto the ball from a clearly offside position to face up Steele. The midfielder did not waste his opportunity but looked yards offside.

Barnsley's defending was comical on 43 minutes as a string of misplaced passes deep in the Reds area eventually gave O'Neil the chance to shoot. Steele managed to grab his effort at the second attempt. Excellent play by Naughton caught out Barnsley and gave Killen the chance to net a third on 44 minutes but Steele was able to grab and hold his header before it hit the back of the net.

The final chance of the half fell to Gray deep in stoppage time but the striker's shot was never going to trouble Coyne's goal.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Coyne, Pogatetz, McDonald, Killen, Flood, O'Neil, Robson, McManus, Grounds, Franks, Naughton.
Subs: J. Steele, Hoyte, Lita, Miller, Bennett, McMahon, Williams.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Trippier, Foster, Moore, Dickinson, Teixeira, Colace, Doyle, Hallfredsson, Anderson, Gray.
Subs: Preece, Hume, Rodriguez, Butterfield, Macken, Potter, Hammill.

REFEREE
Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Richard Clark (Northumberland) and Billy Katib (Tyne & Wear)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Barry Gordon (County Durham)

Match Report By Rob Knowles.

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