Middlesbrough 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
- Published
Denmark international Martin Braithwaite scored his fifth goal of the season.
Middlesbrough beat Bolton in the Championship in their first game since Garry Monk's sacking, as new boss Tony Pulis watched on.
Pulis, appointed earlier on Boxing Day, was in the stands as Martin Braithwaite put Boro ahead with a shot which took a deflection off Bolton's David Wheater.
Braithwaite then assisted Britt Assombolonga who doubled Boro's lead.
Bolton offered little in response and stay in the relegation places, one point from safety.
But the away side could have gone ahead after 24 minutes when Josh Vela's powerful strike was blocked by Middlesbrough defender Fabio da Silva.
Craig Liddle took charge of Boro as caretaker boss and his side could have taken the lead earlier when Cyrus Christie's shot narrowly missed the target.
Bolton keeper Ben Alnwick then did well to tip Patrick Bamford's shot around the post just before half-time.
Middlesbrough now sit in seventh place, three points off the play-off positions, whilst Bolton continue their poor away form, having not won on the road all season.
Tony Pulis' first match in charge as Middlesbrough boss will be against Aston Villa on 30 December.
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis:
"I'm not going to turn water into wine. I have to make sure that I have a good look at the place before I start making any predictions.
"What I will say is that there was some very good play from us at times. I liked the attitude in the dressing room at half-time too - it was very good.
"The club is ninth in the division (at the start of the day), but if everything at the club was spot on and working well, I wouldn't be here talking. Garry still would be.
"There are problems, and there have been problems here. It's just about finding out what they are.
"The best thing we can do is get this club winning again, get the team winning, and get back in the Premier League, but that does take time. For me to stand up after being here for 12 or 13 hours (and talk about winning promotion), it's too much to ask."
Bolton boss Phil Parkinson:
"We looked a threat and got in some good positions, but it's about seeing the game through.
"The first goal was a ball down the side and Wheats (David Wheater) got across well, but a deflection carried the ball over Ben Alnwick's head. The second one is just that split-second of concentration that has cost us.
"We had a good result at the weekend against Cardiff, and it will have taken something out of us. This was always going to be tough, but we've just got to regroup and pick ourselves back up for Sheffield United at the weekend."
- Published23 December 2017
