Morten Rasmussen
Strachan might be able to crack open a few cans of kestral tonight after steering Middlesbrough to back-to-back home wins thanks to a 3-1 win over Reading.
News of the win was tempered by the announcement that first team coach Gary McAllister was leaving The Riverside Stadium to become Gerard Houllier’s assistant at Aston Villa.
Barry Robson got ‘Boro off to the perfect start with a goal in 23 seconds with Stephen McManus and Scott McDonald also picking up win bonuses.
Strachan admitted: “Thats six points in two games now so I have got to be satisfied. It definitely helps when you get the early goal like that, although it was not something we planned for.
“In fact it was a wee bit fortuitous. I don’t think the pass was intended for Barry Robson but he nipped in there and finished it off well so no-one is complaining.”
Darren O’Dea returned to the Ipswich side that lost 3-0 at home to leaders QPR in midweek and helped Keane’s side to a 2-0 win over Cardiff who were without Craig Bellamy.
David Marshall and Lee Naylor were in the Cardiff team that lost out to goals from Jason Scotland and an Adam Matthews own goal in front of a crowd of 22,559.
Grant Holt was the goalscorer for Norwich in the 1-0 win away to Preston as Lambert’s side build on last season’s runaway triumph in League One.
Loan Celts Josh Thompson and Graham Carey both picked up booking as Rochdale drew 1-1 away at MK Dons while leaders Huddersfield came from two down to beat the hoops of Yeovil 4-2.
Chris Sutton’s tough managerial apprenticeship continued at Lincoln with Ben Hutchison in the team that lost 3-0 away to Accrington Stanley on Friday night.
After seven games Lincoln are sitting in 18th place in League Two with seven points to show for their efforts. Over in the Bundesliga Mainz05 made it four wins out of four away to Werder Bremen although Morten Rasmussen didn’t play.
Mainz05 are sitting three points clear of Hoffenheim, Kaiserlautern and Freiburg at the top of the table.
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