Woodgate Bids To Arrest Slide

When Middlesbrough beat Preston on New Year’s Day to secure a fourth straight victory, relegation was the last thing on Jonathan Woodgate’s mind.

- Chris Dunlavy

Boro finished that weekend in 16th position, just seven points shy of a play-off place and a whopping ten clear of the drop zone.

“We needed those results,” said the former Real Madrid defender, who was named Championship manager of the month for December. “Now it’s time to kick on.”

Instead, Boro have tied up like Roger Black on the home straight. A 1-0 reverse at home to Leeds on Wednesday marked the Teessiders’ ninth game without a win, a run that includes a paltry return of just one point from matches against the division’s bottom three teams.

Extend that run at home to Forest tomorrow night and Middlesbrough would match their worst winless streak of the season. Depending on results yesterday, there was also the possibility of Boro going into the match in the relegation zone for the first time since early November.