Emmanuel Latte Lath continued his blistering form as Middlesbrough signed off for the summer with a 3-1 home victory over Watford.
The Championship’s player of the month for April scored his 11th goal in 12 games to set Michael Carrick’s side on their way at the Riverside.
Wesley Hoedt equalised for the Hornets in the second half, but Boro hit back immediately and secured a deserved victory thanks to late goals from substitute Alex Bangura and Isaiah Jones.
Boro endured a seven-game winless run to start the season but ended the campaign with just one defeat in their last 12 and finished eighth. Watford won just two of their last 13 games and finished 15th.
Tom Cleverley’s side were first to threaten when Vakoun Bayo forced a close-range save out of Seny Dieng after meeting Ken Sema’s cross.
But Boro soon took charge, with in-form striker Latte Lath lively and dangerous from the off.
The Ivorian threatened early on when he raced in behind but was denied by a last-gasp sliding challenge from Hoedt.
He then tried to tee up the unmarked Alex Gilbert inside the box moments later but delayed his pass slightly and Watford cleared.
The visiting side’s relief was short-lived, though, and Latte Lath fired Boro in front just before the half-hour mark when he swept home a cross from Leeds loanee Luke Ayling.
Watford had a chance to draw level immediately, but Mileta Rajovic lacked the composure Latte Lath had shown at the other end and blazed his strike over.
Bayo had a glorious chance to equalise for the Hornets early in the second half but was denied by Boro forward Gilbert, who raced back and made a terrific last-ditch challenge.
Gilbert then nearly doubled Boro’s lead, curling just over the bar from the edge of the box.
Matt Clarke came to Boro’s rescue in what was an end-to-end start to the second half, the centre-half stepping in well and clearing from underneath his own crossbar.
A week after scoring his first Boro goal, defender Clarke almost added another, heading just wide.
But 17 minutes from time, Watford drew level, Hoedt first to Yaser Asprilla’s corner and glancing a header into the far corner.
Parity lasted just five minutes, with Boro’s substitutes combining to put the home side back in front.
Sam Greenwood wriggled into space in the box and crossed for left-back Bangura, who found the bottom corner.
Boro wrapped up the win six minutes later when Ayling cut the ball back for Jones, who finished emphatically.
Raith Rovers boss Ian Murray is confident his side will improve in the cinch Premiership play-off final after beating Partick Thistle on penalties.Thistle won 2-1 at Stark’s Park and came closest to winning the tie late on before the game went to penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw.Rovers captain Scott Brown saw his side’s first penalty saved by David Mitchell, but Jack McMillan and R...
Southampton manager Russell Martin expressed hope ugly scenes involving rival fans would not tarnish a “beautiful moment” after leading his side to Wembley with a 3-1 win over West Brom.Adam Armstrong’s brace following Will Smallbone’s opener propelled Saints into the Championship play-off final against Leeds on May 26.Home fans spilled on to the pitch to celebrate moving a...
Partick Thistle suffered more play-off penalty woe as Lewis Vaughan’s spot-kick fired Raith Rovers into a promotion decider.The Jags were on course to reach their second successive cinch Premiership play-off final after David Mitchell saved Raith’s first penalty from Scott Brown at Stark’s Park after a 3-3 aggregate draw.But Jack McMillan missed the target and Ricco Diack hit the...
Adam Armstrong struck twice as Southampton booked a place in the Championship play-off final with a thumping 3-1 victory over West Brom on a raucous evening at St Mary’s.Midfielder Will Smallbone set Saints on course for a Wembley showdown with Leeds on May 26 by lashing home the opener four minutes into the second half.Top scorer Armstrong completed the job with a fine finish followed by a ...
Dumbarton earned promotion to cinch League One after a 2-2 draw with Spartans resulted in a 4-3 aggregate win for the Sons in their play-off final.The visitors held a narrow 2-1 advantage after Tuesday’s first leg and simply needed to avoid defeat to win promotion, but fell behind after just three minutes at Ainslie Park, when Cameron Russell nodded home Callum Booth’s cross.Celebrati...
Let's start our 7M Daily Laugh today. Klopp's last day at Anfield Mbappe (free)Alaba (free)Rudiger (free)Valverde (5 million)Lunin (8 million)Kross (25 million)Modric (30 million)Camavinga (30 million)Arda (30 million)Endrik (35 million)Courtois (40 million)Vinicius (45 million)Rodrigo (45 million)Militao (50 million)Tchouameni(80 million) Bellingham (100 million)Don Florentino Perez. When X...
Manchester United could be prepared to hire a German to replace Erik ten Hag.The Red Devils are said to be in talks with Bayern Munich's departing coach this week.Per Sky Germany, the Red Devils are talking with Thomas Tuchel's management team.Tuchel, who worked at Chelsea in the Premier League, is set to leave Bayern despite the club's attempts to get him to stay.The outlet adds that United's pre...
· France have named their 25-man squad for Euro 2024.· Top talents like Michael Olise, Moussa Diaby, and Jean-Clair Todibo have all been left out.· Chelsea duo Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi will also be watching the tournament from home.With the European Championships now less than a month away and firmly on the horizon, some of the continent's top nations have begun to reveal the shor...
Germany men's national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann has announced a 27-man preliminary squad to take to EURO 2024 - but with only 26 spots, that means one man will still be left out.Sport Bild has a guess as to who that might be, and the answer might surprise you. Via @iMiaSanMia:The one player that will be left out of the final 26-man squad for the Euros will most likely be either Maximilian...
The Netherlands have unveiled their 30-man preliminary squad for Euro 2024, with head coach Ronald Koeman leading the charge. UEFA has recently increased squad sizes to 26 players for this year’s tournament, requiring at least three goalkeepers. Although not the favorites, the Oranje could be the dark horses, having secured second place in their qualifying group behind France.Koeman inherite...
- 1 Danilo Orsi nets hat-trick as Crawley thrash MK Dons to reach play-off final
- 2 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 3 Marc Skinner wants to stay at Manchester United after ‘historic’ FA Cup win
- 4 Sterling considering leaving the club
- 5 Major Liverpool star still an option for Real
- 6 Mourinho to join Fenerbahce?
- 7 Football is cruel – St Johnstone boss Craig Levein left to rue missed chances
- 8 Alex Scott looks stunning in bold see-through outfit
- 9 Celtic run riot against Kilmarnock to win another Premiership title
- 10 Marcus Rashford's new £700,000 Rolls Royce Wraith revealed