Middlesbrough 2-1 Derby County: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Middlesbrough 2-1 Derby County in the Championship on Saturday, 29 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Derby County got off to a flying start at the Riverside, with Patrick Agyemang firing them ahead in just the 2nd minute after a neat assist from Lars-Jorgen Salvesen. Middlesbrough, despite dominating possession, struggled to break down a resolute Derby defence in the first half, and the visitors held firm through some early pressure. A couple of yellow cards for Derby’s Bobby Clark in the 22nd minute and Callum Elder in the 67th didn’t disrupt their shape much, but Boro kept pushing as the game wore on.

The tide turned in the second half with Middlesbrough making changes around the 53rd minute, bringing on Riley McGree and David Strelec to inject some energy. They finally equalised in the 75th minute when Matt Targett slotted home, assisted by Hayden Hackney, and ten minutes later Morgan Whittaker grabbed the winner in the 85th, again set up by Hackney. Late subs from both sides couldn’t change the momentum, and Boro held on for a hard-fought 2-1 victory that felt well-deserved given their control of the ball.

Middlesbrough bossed possession with a whopping 74% compared to Derby’s 26%, which really showed in how they dictated the tempo, especially in the second half, leading to those crucial late goals. They edged corners 9-8 and had more successful dribbles at 45 to Derby’s 31, highlighting their attacking intent and ability to create chances, though Derby’s gritty defending kept things tight until the end. On the discipline side, Derby picked up two yellow cards while Boro stayed clean, and both teams used all five substitutions – for Boro, that included Riley McGree coming on for Alan Browne at 53’, David Strelec for Sontje Hansen at 53’, Kaly Sene for Tommy Conway at 71’, Sverre Nypan for Delano Burgzorg at 71’, and Archie Baptiste for Morgan Whittaker at 89’; Derby’s changes were Kayden Jackson for Lars-Jorgen Salvesen at 79’, Ryan Nyambe for Joe Ward at 80’, Andreas Weimann for Ben Brereton Diaz at 87’, Liam Thompson for Bobby Clark at 88’, and Corey Blackett-Taylor for Sondre Langas at 88’ – with Boro’s assists tallying two to Derby’s one, underscoring Hackney’s key role in the turnaround.

Those stats paint a picture of Boro’s dominance paying off, even if Derby’s early goal and solid organisation made it a proper scrap.

The game exploded into life early when Derby’s Patrick Agyemang scored in the 2nd minute, assisted by Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, giving the visitors a shock lead that they defended doggedly. Middlesbrough’s double substitution at 53’, with Riley McGree replacing Alan Browne and David Strelec coming on for Sontje Hansen, seemed to spark them into gear, ramping up the pressure. Derby’s yellow cards to Bobby Clark at 22’ and Callum Elder at 67’ added tension, but the real turning points came late: Matt Targett’s equaliser in the 75th, assisted by Hayden Hackney, levelled things, before Morgan Whittaker’s winner in the 85th, again from Hackney’s assist, sealed the comeback.

Further changes, like Boro bringing on Kaly Sene for Tommy Conway and Sverre Nypan for Delano Burgzorg at 71’, helped maintain momentum, while Derby’s late subs couldn’t claw back the deficit.

Middlesbrough lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, with the back four providing a strong base and the midfield duo offering control that fed into their attacking trio. Standout partnerships included the link-up between Hayden Hackney in midfield and the forwards, which proved vital for those assists, while the shape allowed them to dominate possession and build pressure effectively.

Derby County set up in a compact 3-5-2, relying on their wing-backs to provide width and the central defenders to soak up pressure. Key roles saw the midfield five working hard to disrupt Boro’s rhythm, with forwards like Patrick Agyemang and Lars Salvesen forming a dangerous partnership up top that grabbed the early goal.

Hayden Hackney takes Man of the Match honours for Middlesbrough, with his two assists proving decisive in turning the game around – setting up both Matt Targett’s equaliser and Morgan Whittaker’s winner. His vision and composure in midfield were standout, dictating play and helping Boro make the most of their possession dominance. Even in a team effort, Hackney’s contributions were the spark that secured the points.

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Derby County (H)
• Loss: 2-4 vs Coventry City (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Oxford United (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Birmingham City (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Leicester City (A)

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Middlesbrough (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Swansea City (A)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Watford (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Blackburn Rovers (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Hull City (H)

Middlesbrough will be buzzing after this comeback win, which boosts their confidence and keeps them in the mix for the top spots. They’ll look to carry that momentum into their next fixture against Hull City, aiming to build on the positives like their possession play and late-game resilience.

Derby County will be gutted to lose after such a bright start, but they’ll take heart from their defensive grit and early threat. Heading into their next match against Leicester, they’ll focus on tightening up those late lapses and converting more of their chances to get back on track.

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