Boro avoid banana skin after grind out a win mentality

MIDDLESBROUGH'S win at Sheffield Wednesday may not have been as convincing or as comfortable as it ought to have been, but it was still a win.

- By CRAIG JOHNS

As so often when a troubled team has its back to the wall, Sheffield Wednesday proved a dangerous opponent

(DANNY LAWSON/PA WIRE)

And it was a victory that highlighted just how far this team have come in a short space of time under Rob Edwards, too.

As Boro left crisis-hit Hillsborough with three points, it was hard not to compare it to Boro’s last visit to the historic South Yorkshire ground.

With Boro supposedly fighting for a playoff spot last season, and Owls players not even paid for the last month's work, Michael Carrick’s side were outfought and surrendered a lead to lose back in April.

It was a day that highlighted everything that was wrong with that Boro team, and Carrick didn’t take too kindly to questioning after about his side's mentality.

It was all fair criticism, however. Edwards may not have had long to work with the team yet, but the improvements on that side of the game are clear for all to see.