David Strelec and Kaly Sene fired Middlesbrough to a 2-1 victory over West Brom to stay top of Championship.
Strelec put Boro ahead from Luke Ayling’s flick header of George Edmundson’s 26tth-minute long throw.
Sene secured victory with a 61st-minute strike off the left post from Hayden Hackney’s flick-on of Tommy Conway’s cutback pass.
Aune Heggebo headed in a 90th-minute consolatory goal to deny Boro a clean sheet.
Boro now sit four point clear at the summit of the Championship and can’t be displaced in the remainder of this weekend’s action, whilst West Brom remain fifth.
Middlesbrough boss, Rob Edwards post-match told Sky Sports that he was “delighted and relieved” to win this tricky tie as he felt that the team weren’t at their best.
“It wasn’t easy, we weren’t at our best but we had good moments and found a way.
“When you’re not at your best and find a way to win that’s great. We had to shift and change a few times, whether that was early subs or formations.
“It’s really important, every coach and every supporter wants to see that from their team, leaving it all out there on the line, coming off absolutely shattered, our intensity is good with and without the ball.
“We’re making improvements, we’re not there yet but that side of it pleases me, we’re valuing getting our blocks and headers in.
“We’ve got some good players here, we stick together as a team which is really good.”
Unbeaten on the road so far this season and aware a huge win could put them top of the table, West Brom almost took an early lead barely 45 seconds into the match as Nat Phillips’ half-turn shot was saved by Sol Brynn.
Boro however weren’t fazed by that immediate scare as Sverre Nypan dragged a fifth-minute shot wide of the bottom right corner from Strelec’s pass, having dribbled his way into space along the edge of the box.
West Brom soon afterwards survived more pressure from the hosts whilst Phillips was lucky that referee, Andrew Kitchen spotted his clearance touch on the ball mere seconds before he clipped Tommy Conway, which saved him from the prospect of conceding a harsh penalty if the decision had gone against him.
Both teams continued to exchange chances during which West Brom goalkeeper, Josh Griffiths made a 21st-minute block to deny Conway.
Griffiths however could do very little to deny Strelec his home debut goal after the Slovakian volleyed in on the bounce from Ayling’s flick-on header of George Edmundson’s long throw, much to the delight of the home crowd who got in amidst rail issues in the pre-match build-up.
Boro’s night however was dealt a bump after Edmundson suffered an eye injury after a collision and had to be substituted for Samuel Silvera in the 42nd minute, but they managed to see the remainder of the first half out in front.
Strelec however found himself substituted at half-time for Sene as Boro survived an early second-half scare, after Isaac Price headed wide Jed Wallace’s 47th-minute cross.
Wallace and Mowatt dragged subsequent shots wide before Diakite saw a 60th-minute shot saved by Sol Brynn.
Boro punished West Brom’s wasteful finishing barely a minute later as a quick-flowing move into the box fell to Conway who teed up Sene via Hackney’s flicked touch to rifle in off the left post.
West Brom piled on late pressure and substitute, Mikey Johnston whipped in a 90th-minute cross which Heggebo headed in to breach the host’s resilient defence.
What’s Next?
Middlesbrough head to Southampton on Saturday 27 September in a 3pm BST kick-off at St Mary’s Stadium.
West Brom face a tough test of their promotion credentials on Friday 26 September at The Hawthorns, as they host Midlands rivals – Leicester in a 8pm kick-off.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Sol Brynn, Luke Ayling, George Edmundson (Silvera 42′), Alfie Jones, Callum Brittain, Aidan Morris, Hayden Hackney (Kante 80′), Matt Targett, Sverre Nypan (Whittaker 80′), David Strelec (Sene 46′), Tommy Conway (Browne 63′)
Substitutes: Alex Bangura, Alan Browne, Delano Burgzorg, Sontje Hansen, Jon McLaughlin, Abdoulaye Kante, Samuel Silvera, Kaly Sene, Morgan Whittaker
West Brom: Josh Griffiths, George Campbell, Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham, Callum Styles, Jayson Molumby, Alex Mowatt (Collyer 62′), Jed Wallace (Johnston 62′), Isaac Price, Ousmane Diakite (Maja 76′), Aune Heggebo
Substitutes: Krystian Bielik, Oliver Bostock, Toby Collyer, Josh Maja, Alfie Gilchrist, Samuel Iling-Junior, Mikey Johnston, Charlie Taylor, Joe Wildsmith
Referee – Andrew Kitchen
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