Ben Doak scores in dramatic 6-goal thriller as Nat Phillips starts rare win

December 27, 2024
Jack Lusby

Ben Doak was on the scoresheet on Boxing Day, but the winger’s efforts were undone in a six-goal thriller that saw an ex-Liverpool defender’s brother sent off.

Doak has been in strong form on loan at Middlesbrough in the first half of the season, becoming one of the first names on Michael Carrick’s teamsheet.

The 19-year-old is a constant threat on the right wing, though he has at times struggled to convert that into real end product in front of goal.

Boxing Day saw him score his second goal in the Championship, however, with a stooping header putting Middlesbrough 1-0 up against Sheffield Wednesday with only five minutes played.

Middlesbrough made it 3-0 by the half-hour mark through Finn Azaz’s brace, only for the Owls to bring it back to 3-2 in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Then a cynical foul from Rav van den Berg – brother of former Liverpool defender Sepp – saw him earn a second yellow card with Boro reduced to 10 men.

Doak was brought off soon after as Carrick looked to hold onto the lead, but Sheffield Wednesday then equalised in a bitter blow for the hosts, the game ending at 3-3.

“Lost two points today,” the Liverpool loanee wrote on Instagram. “Glad to get on the scoresheet.”

There were starts for three more Liverpool players in the Championship on Thursday, with Nat Phillips enjoying a rare win having become a regular for Derby.

The centre-back played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory over West Brom, which was only their seventh of the season and the second in which Phillips has started.

Owen Beck also played 90 minutes as Blackburn sealed a late 2-2 draw with Sunderland, while Lewis Koumas stayed on throughout as Stoke fell to a 2-0 loss to Leeds.

Rhys Williams made it 14 consecutive starts as Morecambe beat Carlisle 1-0, but Luca Stephenson‘s status as a ever-present starter for Dundee United ended as he came off the bench in a 2-1 win over St Johnstone.

Both Kaide Gordon and Calvin Ramsay were overlooked again ahead of talks over a possible end to their loan stays with Norwich and Wigan respectively.