Fadera fires Boro to home victory against Hull City U21s
A brilliant Mo Fadera goal secured Boro a 1-0 win against a skilful Hull City U21s side in a hugely entertaining game, with both sides playing some terrific football on a lovely evening at the Scarborough Sports Village.
Boss Jono Greening again had several players unavailable, and he gave a start to the 18-year-old trialist who featured against Barnsley on Saturday, with reserve players Luca Stuttard, Ross Pluu, Louie Colley and Harrison Mills all getting run-outs from the bench.
The young City side made a bright start, a darting run from Emmanuel Sarpong was halted by a Will Thornton tackle, then Sarpong blazed over from the edge of the area, and Ted Gode fired straight at Ryan Whitley.
Boro almost scored from their first attack, when the trialist won the ball and passed to Fadera wide left, who drove into the box and his low shot forced a good diving save from City keeper Khiani Shombe, then Dom Tear, who looked sharp all game, had a strike blocked by Ed Devine.
A neat passing move involving Fadera, Kieran Weledji and Luke Hall ended with the latter firing narrowly over, and both Michael Duckworth and Luca Colville had shots held by the City keeper.
Boro went so close on 29 minutes when a fabulous move down the left involving Jack Waldron, the trialist and Fadera culminated in Fadera dinking a through-ball into the path of Tear in the area, and he rounded the keeper and fired goalwards, but Stan Ashbee somehow managed to scramble the ball round the post.
Thornton hacked clear when Albert Matique charged into the area for City, and Matique also drilled a shot wide.
Boro took the lead when Fadera jinked into the area and superbly curled his shot into the top right corner, his sixth goal of pre-season.
The excellent Hall netted direct from an in-swinging corner, but the ref had spotted a foul in the crowded goalmouth.
Both sides displayed their passing abilities in the second half and chances were created at both ends.
For City, Matique blasted a fierce shot into the chest of Whitley, and another Matique strike was blocked by Weledji, then Sarpong shot inches over.
For Boro, Colville lashed a shot over and a ball forward from Jake Hull found Hall, who turned and fired narrowly wide.
The lively Fadera pounced on a sloppy backpass, and ran through one-on-one with the keeper, but put his shot wide, and Fadera then had shots blocked by both Ashbee and Ben Robinson.
It was a really entertaining contest, with new signings Hall and Fadera shining for Boro, and the pacy Gode outstanding for the visitors.
Boro’s impressive trialist passed to Fadera who raced into the box but was halted by a Devine tackle, then City went forward, with Ekemini Umoren sending a thunderous shot just over the bar, and Boro skipper Thornton’s superb tackle halting a run from George Akinniranye.
Late on, another flowing move from Boro ended when Hall fizzed a shot narrowly over.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji (Mills 84), Duckworth (Pluu 66), Hull (Stuttard 60), Thornton (c), Waldron, Fadera, Hall, Trialist (Colley 80), Tear, Colville.
HULL CITY - Shombe (c), Moore, Devine, Trialist A, B.Robinson, Ashbee, Gode, Sarpong, Matique, Ocaya, Trialist B. Subs used - D.Robinson, Lizardos, Gomeniuk, Akinniranye, Edey, Umoren, 2 Trialists.
REFEREE - Martyn Mitchell.
BORO GOAL - Mo Fadera 39.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (6 on target) HULL CITY 6 (2 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 6 HULL CITY 1.
OFFSIDES - BORO 2 HULL CITY 0.
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Luke Hall.
ATTENDANCE - 626.