Boro's Scots recruits start with morale-sapping defeat

KRIS Boyd and Kevin Thomson had miserable Middlesbrough debuts on Saturday, but manager Gordon Strachan had no complaints after his new-look side stumbled to a 3-1 opening-day Championship defeat at home to Ipswich.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Aug 2010, 16:50 BST

Updated 8th Aug 2010, 23:18 BST

The bookies' favourites led at the break through a Scott McDonald goal but lost their way after Roy Keane's polished side scored twice in two minutes with a deflected strike from Tommy Smith and a Tamas Priskin effort early in the second half to take control, then Jon Stead sealed it late on.

It was Boro's first league defeat at the Riverside Stadium in 2010. "We can have no complaints," said Strachan. "The better side won. In the first half we did all right but football can be a cruel game."