IRISH PAIR Alan Browne and Aidomo Emakhu were on target in their sides’ respective wins in the Championship today.
Form and injuries meant Browne’s minutes were limited after signing with Sunderland last season, and he was allowed depart the Black Cats on loan in September.
The 30-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence at Boro. Today’s goal was his third in five games, and he has made 24 appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the World Cup qualification playoffs in March, the Cork native will be hoping to regain his place in the Ireland squad, where midfield has been somewhat of a problem area, particularly as Josh Cullen has been ruled out for the foreseeable future with an ACL injury.
Browne’s difficult season last year contributed to his lack of involvement at international level — the player has not been included since featuring in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s first squad in September 2024.
Middlesbrough moved to within three points of table toppers Coventry by heaping more misery on 10-man Preston at the Riverside.
Browne, who made more than 400 appearances for North End from 2014 to 2024, returned to haunt his former club by putting Boro ahead, while Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker exploited defensive lapses to put Boro three up at half-time.
Jordan Storey was red-carded shortly after the resumption, and Conway rounded off the scoring to give second-placed Middlesbrough a 4-0 win — their fourth in a row in the league that leaves them breathing down the neck of Frank Lampard’s Coventry, who travel to struggling Norwich on Monday.
Play-off chasing Preston, meanwhile, slipped to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions and face questions over their backline after conceding seven goals in their last two matches.
They started brightly on Teesside and saw appeals for a penalty turned down when Matt Targett intercepted Storey’s header with his upper torso, but they flatlined after Middlesbrough took the lead in the ninth minute.
Targett’s teasing cross over the top saw Browne shrug off Jamal Lewis, who fell to the floor, and the on-loan Sunderland midfielder excellently controlled the ball with his right foot before finishing coolly with his left.
Browne missed the chance to double his and Middlesbrough’s tally by curling wide of Jack Walton’s far post, but Preston were caught on their heels again in the 28th minute, which was fully exploited by Conway.
A speculative curling pass forward from Luke Ayling was latched onto by Conway, who had left Storey and Odel Offiah trailing in his wake, before sending the ball through Walton’s legs and into the net.
Preston were reeling, and worse was to follow as Walton rolled the ball to Lewis Gibson on the edge of the box, but he was dispossessed by Whittaker, who lashed home his 11th goal of the season after 42 minutes.
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A delightful touch and finish sees Middlesbrough take an early lead and it's the former Preston captain Alan Browne with the goal 🔴 pic.twitter.com/u9nrHsuWW9
Any hope of a second-half comeback evaporated five minutes after the restart when Storey was sent off for hauling down Conway, having dithered on the ball, denying the frontman from going through on goal.
Conway would not be denied in the 54th minute as he reacted quickest to Hayden Hackney’s free-kick being saved by Walton to score the rebound as Preston threatened to completely unravel.
They held firm for more than half an hour but failed to test Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn. Preston have now gone 380 minutes since their last goal and will almost certainly end the weekend outside the top six.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Millwall consolidated their position in the Championship play-off places by brushing aside south London rivals Charlton with a 4-0 thumping at The Den.
An early own goal from Charlton right-back Kayne Ramsay was added to by late strikes from Caleb Taylor, Luke Cundle and Aidomo Emakhu as the high-flying Lions recorded their fourth win in six league games.
It was Emakhu’s second goal from 22 appearances in all competitions this season.
The 22-year-old attacker was introduced off the bench in the 73rd minute, and he has made 82 appearances for the Lions since signing from Shamrock Rovers in January 2023.
It was also their biggest victory of the season, and it left the abject Addicks hoping the gap between them and the relegation zone would not be narrowed by the later Saturday fixtures.
Millwall were ahead after just seven minutes when Femi Azeez put in a teasing cross that was touched by Charlton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski onto the unwitting Ramsay, who put it into his own net.
The Lions threatened a second when Tristan Crama put in a cross that Josh Coburn headed over, with Charlton struggling to deal with the hosts’ threat from out wide.
But the Addicks soon had a chance of their own when Tyreece Campbell got in behind and was denied by a decent save from Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
His opposite number, Thomas Kaminski, was then called into action after 20 minutes when the Belgian had to beat away an effort from the lively Azeez.
Millwall ought to have doubled their lead when Camiel Neghli cut the ball back and Azeez, their top scorer this season, miscued completely.
Then came an even more glaring miss as Azeez broke away down the left before putting across a peach of a ball that Coburn somehow put wide from inside the six-yard box.
The hosts knew they should have been more than 1-0 up at half-time, but they continued on the front foot after the break as Azeez zipped a low shot wide from 25 yards.
It looked as though Millwall finally had their second in the 52nd minute when the unmarked Azeez headed in a superb cross from Alfie Doughty, but an offside flag reprieved Charlton this time.
"These are the new lion's kings around here" 🦁
It's dreamland for Millwall as Aidomo Emakhu seals a memorable derby win at The Den 🔵 pic.twitter.com/fKq9n101w6
The chances continued to come the Lions’ way, with substitute Emakhu advancing into the area before blasting a shot into the side netting.
Eventually, the home side put a match they dominated to bed in the 81st minute when centre-back Taylor rose high to head in Doughty’s corner for his third goal of the season.
Alex Neil’s side did not stop there as Azeez won a penalty after being tripped by Reece Burke, and although Neghli’s tame spot-kick in the second minute of stoppage time was saved by Kaminski, the taker got to the rebound to square for Cundle to bundle in.
Charlton had their noses rubbed in it further a minute later when Ramsay’s header went straight to Emakhu, who controlled before firing into the bottom corner.
Meanwhile, in League One, Marcus Harness scored the winning goal as Huddersfield Town beat Bradford City 1-0.
It was the 29-year-old winger’s third goal from 33 appearances in all competitions, as Liam Manning’s side consolidated sixth spot in the table.
Former Ireland star David McGoldrick contributed a goal and an assist as Conor Hourihane’s Barnsley drew 2-2 with Reading, leaving them in 15th spot.
Ex-Ireland underage international Cian Hayes was on target, as Peterborough United won 2-0 at Wycombe Wanderers.
In League Two, Dublin-born midfielder Ryan Graydon scored the winning goal as Salford City beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 to boost the second-place side’s hopes of promotion.
Former Ireland U21 international Conor Masterson found the net as 12th-place Gillingham earned a 3-0 victory at Harrogate Town.
Finally, in the National League, Ireland U21 international and Stoke City loanee Darius Lipsiuc scored his sixth goal in 22 appearances for Solihull Moors as they prevailed 2-0 away to Morecambe.
Ex-Ireland underage international Conor Wilkinson was also on target for the side, who are 10th in England’s fifth tier.
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Resurgent Alan Browne among the Irish scorers in England
Updated at 17.41
IRISH PAIR Alan Browne and Aidomo Emakhu were on target in their sides’ respective wins in the Championship today.
Form and injuries meant Browne’s minutes were limited after signing with Sunderland last season, and he was allowed depart the Black Cats on loan in September.
The 30-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence at Boro. Today’s goal was his third in five games, and he has made 24 appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the World Cup qualification playoffs in March, the Cork native will be hoping to regain his place in the Ireland squad, where midfield has been somewhat of a problem area, particularly as Josh Cullen has been ruled out for the foreseeable future with an ACL injury.
Browne’s difficult season last year contributed to his lack of involvement at international level — the player has not been included since featuring in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s first squad in September 2024.
Middlesbrough moved to within three points of table toppers Coventry by heaping more misery on 10-man Preston at the Riverside.
Browne, who made more than 400 appearances for North End from 2014 to 2024, returned to haunt his former club by putting Boro ahead, while Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker exploited defensive lapses to put Boro three up at half-time.
Jordan Storey was red-carded shortly after the resumption, and Conway rounded off the scoring to give second-placed Middlesbrough a 4-0 win — their fourth in a row in the league that leaves them breathing down the neck of Frank Lampard’s Coventry, who travel to struggling Norwich on Monday.
Play-off chasing Preston, meanwhile, slipped to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions and face questions over their backline after conceding seven goals in their last two matches.
They started brightly on Teesside and saw appeals for a penalty turned down when Matt Targett intercepted Storey’s header with his upper torso, but they flatlined after Middlesbrough took the lead in the ninth minute.
Targett’s teasing cross over the top saw Browne shrug off Jamal Lewis, who fell to the floor, and the on-loan Sunderland midfielder excellently controlled the ball with his right foot before finishing coolly with his left.
Browne missed the chance to double his and Middlesbrough’s tally by curling wide of Jack Walton’s far post, but Preston were caught on their heels again in the 28th minute, which was fully exploited by Conway.
A speculative curling pass forward from Luke Ayling was latched onto by Conway, who had left Storey and Odel Offiah trailing in his wake, before sending the ball through Walton’s legs and into the net.
Preston were reeling, and worse was to follow as Walton rolled the ball to Lewis Gibson on the edge of the box, but he was dispossessed by Whittaker, who lashed home his 11th goal of the season after 42 minutes.
Any hope of a second-half comeback evaporated five minutes after the restart when Storey was sent off for hauling down Conway, having dithered on the ball, denying the frontman from going through on goal.
Conway would not be denied in the 54th minute as he reacted quickest to Hayden Hackney’s free-kick being saved by Walton to score the rebound as Preston threatened to completely unravel.
They held firm for more than half an hour but failed to test Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn. Preston have now gone 380 minutes since their last goal and will almost certainly end the weekend outside the top six.
Elsewhere, Millwall consolidated their position in the Championship play-off places by brushing aside south London rivals Charlton with a 4-0 thumping at The Den.
An early own goal from Charlton right-back Kayne Ramsay was added to by late strikes from Caleb Taylor, Luke Cundle and Aidomo Emakhu as the high-flying Lions recorded their fourth win in six league games.
It was Emakhu’s second goal from 22 appearances in all competitions this season.
The 22-year-old attacker was introduced off the bench in the 73rd minute, and he has made 82 appearances for the Lions since signing from Shamrock Rovers in January 2023.
It was also their biggest victory of the season, and it left the abject Addicks hoping the gap between them and the relegation zone would not be narrowed by the later Saturday fixtures.
Millwall were ahead after just seven minutes when Femi Azeez put in a teasing cross that was touched by Charlton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski onto the unwitting Ramsay, who put it into his own net.
The Lions threatened a second when Tristan Crama put in a cross that Josh Coburn headed over, with Charlton struggling to deal with the hosts’ threat from out wide.
But the Addicks soon had a chance of their own when Tyreece Campbell got in behind and was denied by a decent save from Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
His opposite number, Thomas Kaminski, was then called into action after 20 minutes when the Belgian had to beat away an effort from the lively Azeez.
Millwall ought to have doubled their lead when Camiel Neghli cut the ball back and Azeez, their top scorer this season, miscued completely.
Then came an even more glaring miss as Azeez broke away down the left before putting across a peach of a ball that Coburn somehow put wide from inside the six-yard box.
The hosts knew they should have been more than 1-0 up at half-time, but they continued on the front foot after the break as Azeez zipped a low shot wide from 25 yards.
It looked as though Millwall finally had their second in the 52nd minute when the unmarked Azeez headed in a superb cross from Alfie Doughty, but an offside flag reprieved Charlton this time.
The chances continued to come the Lions’ way, with substitute Emakhu advancing into the area before blasting a shot into the side netting.
Eventually, the home side put a match they dominated to bed in the 81st minute when centre-back Taylor rose high to head in Doughty’s corner for his third goal of the season.
Alex Neil’s side did not stop there as Azeez won a penalty after being tripped by Reece Burke, and although Neghli’s tame spot-kick in the second minute of stoppage time was saved by Kaminski, the taker got to the rebound to square for Cundle to bundle in.
Charlton had their noses rubbed in it further a minute later when Ramsay’s header went straight to Emakhu, who controlled before firing into the bottom corner.
Meanwhile, in League One, Marcus Harness scored the winning goal as Huddersfield Town beat Bradford City 1-0.
It was the 29-year-old winger’s third goal from 33 appearances in all competitions, as Liam Manning’s side consolidated sixth spot in the table.
Former Ireland star David McGoldrick contributed a goal and an assist as Conor Hourihane’s Barnsley drew 2-2 with Reading, leaving them in 15th spot.
Ex-Ireland underage international Cian Hayes was on target, as Peterborough United won 2-0 at Wycombe Wanderers.
In League Two, Dublin-born midfielder Ryan Graydon scored the winning goal as Salford City beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 to boost the second-place side’s hopes of promotion.
Former Ireland U21 international Conor Masterson found the net as 12th-place Gillingham earned a 3-0 victory at Harrogate Town.
Finally, in the National League, Ireland U21 international and Stoke City loanee Darius Lipsiuc scored his sixth goal in 22 appearances for Solihull Moors as they prevailed 2-0 away to Morecambe.
Ex-Ireland underage international Conor Wilkinson was also on target for the side, who are 10th in England’s fifth tier.
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
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