Said Stoke City Would Be ‘Toughest Test’ – Former Middlesbrough Star | OneFootball

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Former Middlesbrough star Neil Maddison insists he always said Stoke City would be Boro’s hardest test as the Potters are up there in the Championship table for a reason.

Two sides towards the top end of the table were equal to each other on Tuesday night as they played out a 0-0 draw at the Riverside.

Stoke had more shots on goal and it was Middlesbrough goalkeeper, Sol Brynn, who kept them out to maintain Boro’s four-point advantage over Stoke at the top of the table.

For Maddison, it was the goalkeeper who deserved to be the man of the match as he did his job of keeping the ball out of the net.

“If I was going to give man of the match to anyone, it would be Sol Brynn”, Maddison said on BBC Tees.

“‘Keepers have got to do their job and Sol does that, he keeps the ball out the net and makes some really strong saves for us.”

He admits that Stoke did push Middlesbrough in the second 45 minutes, having the better of the second half, while Boro had the better of the first.

“Second half they pressed and pushed us back, they had a spell where we kept giving the ball away.

“We make a few substitutions, I though Sontje Hansen was good today.

“I would say it was a game of two halves, us in the first, and them in the second.

“Sometimes the opposition come out a lot sharper, and a lot better and you have to dig in and come out as a team.

Stoke have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign and are on Boro’s coattails in the Championship, with Mark Robins finally getting the Potters purring.

For Maddison, the game came as no surprise as he was always of the view that Stoke would represent Middlesbrough’s toughest test.

“I said before the game that this is our toughest test; they’re up there for a reason.”

Stoke’s fine campaign so far may not come as a surprise, with the club’s sporting director being hailed for the good work he did over the course of the summer transfer window.

Middlesbrough are due to travel to Stoke in January and by the time that game happens, both clubs will hope to still be firmly at the top end of the table.