ALEX Neil said Josh Coburn’s brace on his return to Middlesbrough was “written in the stars”.
Coburn struck twice in the second half to overturn a one-goal deficit and seal a 2-1 win, sending the Lions second.
It was the first time the 23-year-old had returned to the Riverside Stadium since completing a permanent move down south last summer. He had spent six seasons on Boro’s books, first signing at under-16s level, and went on to make 56 first-team appearances, scoring twelve goals.
“He was excellent,” Neil said. “Second half in particular. In the first half, we didn’t really give him a chance. We were slinging balls up seventy yards to his throat. But then second half, we made the relevant passes we needed to open the space up to put the ball onto him.
“Sometimes with football, some things are written in the stars a little bit, aren’t they? The second goal was one that he’ll remember, and I’m sure his family and all that will remember forever.”
Neil was asked if there was added emotion for Coburn on his return to Middlesbrough.
“Absolutely,” Neil said. “I know he loved his time here. I believe he’s a Middlesbrough fan as well, so I think with all of that sort of stuff, there’ll definitely be emotion. But he’s our centre forward. He’s been brilliant for us, and he was brilliant again today.”
Coburn, Millwall’s record-signing, has had an injury-hit season but has been effective when available, scoring eight goals in 21 league appearances, joint-top in the squad with Femi Azeez and Mihailo Ivanovic.
It is an improvement on his previous season’s tally, when he scored five in 20 while on loan with the Lions.
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Neil was asked how much Coburn has come on since he first signed.
“The biggest thing was probably his injury,” Neil said. “It allowed him to get in the gym. He’s definitely got wider, got bigger. He uses his body far better now than what he did in the past.
“He’s always been a really good finisher. He’s always had really good movement. He’s a great lad. He’s a real honest lad, but I think he’s added a bit of grit, a bit of determination, a bit of power, and I think at this level, he’s a top striker.”
