Kim Hellberg admits football is ‘very cruel’ as profligate Middlesbrough punished

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg admitted his team’s inability to take chances is a concern after they failed to score for the fourth game in a row in the 1-0 defeat at Derby.

Boro will wonder how they left empty-handed as Hayden Hackney and Tommy Conway were denied by goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom while the latter completely missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.

More openings came and went before Bobby Clark showed how to finish in the 70th minute when indecisive defending allowed him to fire past Sol Brynn.

Hellberg said: “For the moment, football is very, very cruel to us and we have to sort it out and turn it around.

“I am very happy with how we performed, the first 60 minutes we were very good and created a lot of opportunities and we should have killed that game off.

“But we didn’t and then you know that in this league you cannot keep a very good team from not creating anything at home.

“If you look at how we created over the last eight games, I think we have the most shots in the league so we are creating a lot of chances, a lot of good chances and are having a lot of balls into the box.

“But in football the first goal is very, very important and for the moment we are not scoring that one. We are creating a lot of chances but they are not going in and we have to work on that and do better.

“That’s why it’s important for me to get the message to the players that for the moment we are not good enough taking our chances.”

Derby head coach John Eustace felt the victory was a reward for his team’s character.

He said: “Middlesbrough started really well, we weren’t expecting them to start like they did with their shape and their build-up so it took the lads and myself by surprise a tiny bit.

“But I thought we adapted really well, we did ride our luck a little bit but to come away with a 1-0 victory, I’m delighted.

“Second half, I felt very much more in control of the game, we adapted a couple of things in our shape and structure.

“It doesn’t matter how well you start or the opposition start, you have to stay in the game. There have been moments throughout the season where we have been doing very well at times but then conceded a really sloppy goal.

“During any Championship game you’re going to be under the cosh and have to suffer a little bit but where we lack that little bit of quality we make up with grit and determination and heart.”