Tuncay Sanli's great run of form continued as he fired Middlesbrough to a 1-0 win at Derby - in Paul Jewell's first match in charge at Pride Park. Tuncay Sanli grabbed the only goal of the game shortly before half-time to seal a second successive victory for Boro.
The goal came against the run of the play at the time and it was totally out of keeping with what had gone before, as the Rams and Boro had previously appeared Premier League teams in name only.
Yet Tuncay's 38th-minute strike oozed quality as he stroked a sidefoot volley beyond Stephen Bywater from 15 yards in meeting a first-time cross from left winger Stewart Downing.
The goal stood out like a beacon, and after a run of 11 successive matches without a win for the visitors, it is now two on the trot for boss Gareth Southgate's side to lift them clear of the relegation zone.
Yet considering Southgate's side had primarily outplayed Arsenal in a shock 2-1 home win last weekend, this was a performance in stark contrast, in particular until they opened the scoring.
It could be that Boro were dragged down to Derby's level because the east midlands club surely cannot sink too much lower in this disastrous campaign.
Jewell commented in his pre-match press conference on Thursday on the basic need of eliminating the simple errors the team continue to make.
Yet despite captain Matt Oakley insisting Jewell had instilled an air of positivity since his arrival, his words are falling on deaf ears.
Tuncay's goal was a case in point as a ball was aimlessly hoofed clear out of defence, only for it to be pumped straight back into the path of Downing.
To be fair to Jewell and Derby, despite their inability to often play a ball in a straight line to a team-mate, they did create a number of chances, even if many were long range.
Teenage star Giles Barnes, Oakley and substitute Jay McEveley - who had replaced the injured Andy Griffin in the 29th minute - all tried their luck from distance.
Mark Schwarzer, returning in goal after missing the last two games with a broken thumb, was smartly down on each occasion to smother the respective shots on his goal-line.
Derby's best effort in the opening 45 minutes came within a minute of Tuncay's sweet strike, with Kenny Miller clipping the outside of the right-hand post with a shot on the turn from the edge of the area.
The only other moment of quality had earlier arrived in the fourth minute, courtesy of the fact Griffin was nowhere to be seen.
Taking advantage of the open space at left-back, Tuncay played an inch-perfect ball into the feet of Gary O'Neil, resulting in a searing angled drive that was superbly saved by Bywater.
The Rams goalkeeper then kept his side in the game eight minutes into the second half as Boro should have killed the game off.
But Bywater produced a stunning fingertip stop to turn a first-time drive from Downing inches past the left-hand post following an electrifying break to Tuncay to tee up the England winger.
Moments later, and with Derby's defence rocking, Boro captain George Boateng then planted a header against the left-hand post after diving onto a cross inside the area from Fabio Rochemback.
It prompted Jewell into a positive change as he brought on last week's goalscorer in the 4-1 defeat at Manchester United in striker Steve Howard for Gary Teale in the 56th minute.
With the Rams playing 4-4-2, and with Barnes switched to his more natural right-wing position, it offered Derby greater stability.
It was Barnes who had Derby's best two chances in a closing 30 minutes they primarily dominated as Boro were forced to defend in numbers.
But one 20-yard effort was dragged wide, while another from just inside the area was coolly plucked out of the air by Schwarzer.
In the end, with relegation rivals Wigan, Sunderland and Birmingham all picking up points, this was a bad day for Jewell and Derby.
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate hailed the performance of in-form Tuncay that piled the agony on rock-bottom Derby.
Source:Wires
