for Edwards 'resilience'

ROB Edwards is hoping defensive injuries don’t mount to derail Middlesbrough’s incredible start to the season, as he praised his side's ‘resilience’ to beat West Brom.

- By Craig Johns Football writer

Boro beat the Baggies 2-1 at the Riverside to stay top of the Championship. David Strelec and Kaly Sene both scored their first goals for the club to seal the three points on a night the Boro boss didn’t feel his side were at their best.

But in recording a fifth win in six games, Boro have made their best start to a league season as they came through moments of adversity to bag the three points. No more so than their defensive woes, which worsened on the night.

‘Already without Dael Fry after a calfissue ruled him out of the draw at Preston North End and again for the West Brom game, they were also missing Darragh Lenihan for this one, after the Irishman had replaced Fry in the side at Deepdale, making his first start in almost two years after injury.

On Lenihan, the Boro boss explained: “We'll see how Darragh is. Hopefully things are OK.

“After 90 minutes of football, we've got to try and manage that situation. Especially because we don’t have Dael at the moment, we've got to try and look after people.

“We felt it would be George [Edmundson]’s night up against Heggebo. And we always had in mind that if we did lose anyone, we've got Matty Targett to go centre-back with Sammy on.