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Boro might have become a more attack-minded and attractive team to watch under Tony Mowbray, but the manager was left to reflect on an afternoon when Swansea effectively battered them in to submission after a promising start.
For an hour it had all been going to plan. Boro conceded a 14th minute goal from the electric Nathan Dyer, but they were 3-1 up and on course for a win that would have lifted them eight points clear of relegation.
Then Julio Arca pressed the self-destruct button. His clumsy challenge on Swansea substitute Joe Allen earned the visitors a penalty which Scott Sinclair dispatched.
Arca's error then handed the Swans a hint that the game could be saved, but more worryingly it brought the worst out of a new-look, inexperienced Boro defence.
Mowbray, a former defender, looked on, puzzled and in dismay as Swansea were gifted an equaliser from Williams before allowing Craig Beattie the space to pick his spot to strike a winner in the fourth minute of injury-time.
With a trip to Millwall's New Den to come on Saturday, followed by visits from leaders Queens Park Rangers and promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest, Mowbray needs to find a way of repairing damaged confidence - and fast.
"I am sorry for the fans who came here to come and see that," said a subdued Mowbray. "I feel for them a bit. The defending is what it is. I can't defend that.
"We are very disappointed, the game should have been finished but some poor defending, bad decisions, the penalty let them back in, that gave them the sniff they could get back in.
"It was not through lack of effort. The team worked extremely hard. Psychologically, the penalty was damaging to the team. The clock was ticking down and we could have scored when they over-committed. But we ultimately paid the price."
It was supposed to have been a day of celebration for one fan, Nick Waites, who was presented with a shirt before kick-off to mark his 750th consecutive appearance at a Boro game.
Mowbray could be forgiven if he wished for a back five boasting that many outings between them.
Instead he has a backline all 24 or under, with Tony McMahon - 62 league starts - representing Boro most experienced defender.
And with Matthew Bates, Stephen McManus and Danny Coyne sidelined until next month at the earliest, Mowbray knows there is little room for manoeuvre with the exception of bringing in German Maxi Haas for his debut.
Boro started brightly enough. Marvin Emnes, whose only other league goal for the club came against Swansea during Gareth Southgate's days, slotted the Teessiders ahead after turning Alan Tate.
And even though Swansea carved open the defence for Dyer to equalise six minutes later, Boro's response looked perfect.
Barry Robson floated over a free-kick which Jonathan Grounds flicked beyond goalkeeper Dorus de Vries with a fine header and Emnes was denied his second just before the break by the goalkeeper's legs.
Seven minutes after the restart Robson's delivery from the right was exceptionally placed for Leroy Lita to rise unmarked and head powerfully in.
A third win in five looked secure but then, after Swansea midfielder Allen ran in to the box, Arca knocked him to the floor in an attempt to make up for losing possession.
Sinclair, an ?800,000 signing from Chelsea, converted the spot-kick and that paved the way for the Boro collapse.?
Seb Hines and Grounds lost their way at the heart of the defence, while goalkeeper Jason Steele lacked the sort of composure that has earned him and England Under-21 call-up.
When County Durham-born Tate chipped the ball back in to the area, Steele came out to gather rather than punch. The ball dropped off the head of Luke Moore before dropping for Williams to poke over the line, despite having two defenders nearby.
With the score level, Beattie - who Mowbray signed for West Brom during his time in charge at the Hawthorns - was afforded far too much freedom before finding the bottom corner in stoppage time.
Mowbray said: "It was a silly tackle for the penalty; a bad decision from the keeper who tried to catch a ball he should have punched, then two defenders clashed and let the boy tap in to an empty net. Then for the winner nobody wanted to get in front of him.
"We need to improve. We have sat in that dressing room for half hour after the game and watched them goals go in. Really disappointing."
Mowbray knows the situation and the squad he has now is likely to be the one he has at the end of the season. Where Boro will be come May is unclear, but more displays like Saturday and there is every chance they will be back in the bottom three.
MATCHFACTS
Goals:
1-0: Emnes (8mins, turned Tate inside the area before slotting low beyond a static de Vries)
1-1: Dyer (14, played a neat one-two with Moore before calmly beating Steele)
2-1: Grounds (34, flicked Robson's free-kick beyond de Vries with a neat header)
3-1: Lita (54, allowed the freedom inside the area to nod Robson's centre high in to the net)
3-2: Sinclair pen (60, struck casually and coolly into Steele's right corner)
3-3: Williams (68, poked over the line after Boro repeatedly failed to clear)
3-4: Beattie (90, allowed to strike a low finish from 20 yards in to Steele's bottom left corner)
Bookings: Gower (79, foul); Williams (83, unsporting behaviour)
Referee: Rob Madley (Leeds) - correctly awarded the penalty that turned things around and Boro can't even blame the official for their downfall. 7
Attendance: 14, 825
Entertainment: ****
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2):
4 Steele: After a solid enough start he lost his composure when Swansea stepped things up;
4 McMahon: Had a difficult afternoon in contending with Sinclair
4 Hines: At fault on a couple of occasions for Swansea's first and never really recovered
5 Grounds: Might have scored to improve his own display but still disappointing from a defensive view
5 Bennett: One of his most difficult afternoons so far, with Dyer's speed and confidence making things difficult;
7 ROBSON: Two of his deliveries brought goals from the right and Boro could have done with more
6 Bailey: Had a tough task in containing a lively Swans midfield and stuck to his task
4 Arca: Will be annoyed with himself for the way he conceded the penalty that let Swansea back in
7 Emnes: After a bright start and a first goal for the club in more than a year, the Dutchman did fade;
7 Lita: Frustrated a couple of times when he could have passed, but scored a fine header
5 McDonald: Would have liked to have had more chances in front of goal, with most of his good work done outside the box
Subs:
Franks (for Lita 75)
Zemmama (for McDonald 75)
Smallwood (for Arca 85)
?(not used): Ripley (gk), Haas, Boyd, Halliday.
SWANSEA CITY (4-5-1): De Vries 5; Rangel 4, Williams 6, Tate 5, Richards 4; DYER 8, Pratley 6 (Dobbie 57, 5), Britton 6 (Allen 57, 6), Gower 6, Sinclair 7; Moore 6 (Beattie 75).
Subs (not used): Ma-Makalamby (gk), van der Gun, Serran, Augustien.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Nathan Dyer - showed the sort of tenacity and drive that Boro could do with on the flanks.
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Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo