Michael Carrick ‘encouraged’ by display as Middlesbrough held by Huddersfield

Posted Sunday, August 20, 2023 by PA

Head coach Michael Carrick is remaining calm despite the fact Middlesbrough are still looking for their first win of the Championship season following a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at the Riverside.

Boro made the Championship play-offs last season and are targeting another promotion push this term but lost their first two games of the campaign without scoring a goal.

But Carrick felt his side were much improved in the home draw with the Terriers, with Hayden Hackney rescuing a point for Boro with a stunning 61st-minute strike to cancel out Dael Fry’s own goal two minutes into the second half.

Boro, who sold last season’s Championship golden boot winner Chuba Akpom to Ajax this week, handed debuts to striker Emmanuel Latte Lath and left-back Lukas Engel.

Young summer signings Rav van den Berg, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Rogers were also in the XI and Carrick believes his team will get better and better as the new recruits find their feet.

“I thought it was a really encouraging performance to be honest,” he said.

“It was a really tough game. They’re a good team and really make you work for a result. The way they play, they’re really effective and tough to play against.

“I thought we did a lot of good things in the game, looked dangerous and created chances and probably, definitely, should have scored more goals.

“It’s kind of the way it’s going for us, we’re doing some good things and getting punished for things we should maybe do better but now and again you get away with.

“Things just aren’t quite dropping as nice as they might do but I’m really encouraged.

“At 1-0 down it can be frustrating, you can get anxious and doubt yourself but I thought the boys were terrific and should have gone on to win the game with the chances and how well we finished.”

Boro started well and had the better of the first half but Town had their moments, with Brahima Diarra hitting the post.

The Terriers burst out of the blocks after the restart and had chances to double their lead after the opener but after Hackney’s brilliant equaliser Boro were the better side and Aussie winger Silvera had a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time but skewed his effort over the bar.

Huddersfield, like Boro, are still winless and Warnock had mixed emotions after the draw against his former club.

He said: “There’s disappointment but at the end it’s relief when they had a couple of great chances.

“We got it right at half-time and in the first 20 minutes of the second half it was as good as we’ve played and that’s when you have to score your goals.

“That’s been the story of quite a few games, not taking our chances and giving silly goals away.

“We haven’t got the facilities to bring in the top players so we just have to get on with what we’ve got, not moan and enjoy it.

“I’m going to enjoy it. The lads did me proud. If we carry on like that, we’ll get some points this year. We can go anywhere and give them a game.”