Middlesbrough 1-4 Sheffield Wednesday: Garry Monk's Owls thrash Boro
- Published
County Durham-born Adam Reach (right) began his career as a youth player at Boro
Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate bemoaned his side's "terrible" display after they slumped to a heavy home defeat against Garry Monk's Sheffield Wednesday.
Monk extended his unbeaten league start as Owls manager to three games as they thrashed his former club at a disgruntled Riverside Stadium.
Boro's Adam Clayton headed into his own net before Dominic Iorfa nodded in to make it 2-0, and although Paddy McNair's half-volley reduced the deficit, Adam Reach fired home and Steven Fletcher made it four.
"I can't expect the fans to come and pay to see performances like that," Woodgate told BBC Tees.
"That first-half performance was absolutely terrible. It's something that I don't want to see from my team again, sloppy goals like that, not here."
Middlesbrough have won just two games this season, while the Owls are now just three points behind Championship leaders West Brom.
"I'm from Middlesbrough and I know what it's like to play for this club," Woodgate added. "My players need to realise what type of club this is.
"This is a club that works hard for everything they've got. This is an area that works hard for everything they've got, and they need to show that on Tuesday night against Preston.
"I need my players to stand up now and show us what they're all about. There's a huge amount of work to do."
Monk, who spent six months in charge of Boro in 2017, took over at Hillsborough earlier this month and began his tenure with a 2-0 victory at Huddersfield Town.
And it did not take long for his new side to take the lead once again with Clayton turning Barry Bannan's corner past his own keeper.
Scotland international Bannan produced another deadly cross soon after as Iorfa's header made it 2-0, before McNair's powerful strike gave Boro hope of staging an early fightback, but by the 34th minute they had been swept away.
First Atdhe Nuhiu set up Reach, who found the net with a left-footed strike from inside the box before the former Middlesbrough wide man turned provider with his cross finding the head of Fletcher.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Especially in the first half we showed how devastating we can be.
"Midweek against Everton we didn't take our opportunities, but today we were ruthless and clinical.
"Because it's such a lead you know what's going to happen, we knew they would come out and fight and make it difficult.
"I thought overall we controlled that fightback and to score four goals away from home is very pleasing."