Chris Wilder criticises Middlesbrough individual after key moment against Hull

Chris Wilder has refused to defend goalkeeper Joe Lumley after his mistake cost Middlesbrough a goal in their 1-0 defeat to Hull. 

It was an all-round disappointing display from Middlesbrough who had enough chances to win the game. However, with the game poised at 0-0 going into the final 15 minutes, Joe Lumley allowed a weak Keane Lewis-Potter shot to fizz past him into the bottom corner.

It was a poor goal to concede that left Wilder angered, telling Teeside Live: “It’s a disappointing goal, the goalkeeper needs to do better. I’ve protected him for quite a while now, Joe (Lumley). There is no real hiding place there, it is another poor goal.”

It wasn’t just Lumley who was singled out for criticism, but the wider team as well, with Anfernee Dijksteel the only one escaping criticism from Wilder: “From a pretty simplistic point of view, if our performance levels are 4/5/6s.

“I think Dijksteel is the only one who comes out with a little bit of credit. Players gave the ball away cheaply, no flow to our game, individual errors. You could see that result coming. They grew into the game.”

The defeat means Middlesbrough dropped out of the Championship’s top six, falling to eighth and leaving them three points adrift of Sheffield United in 6th.

Wiler’s side will be looking to bounce back when they travel to the Vitality Stadium to face second placed AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

The Verdict

It was another costly error from Lumley at a key time in the season.

You can’t afford many mistakes in the Championship and teams will punish and Hull did that. But you can’t single Lumley out for his error without criticising the wider team.

It was a poor display in a game where Lumley will rightly be criticised, but for the game to