Tommy Conway scored twice as Middlesbrough thrashed Preston 4-0 at the Riverside Stadium to boost their promotion ambitions.
Alan Browne fired Boro ahead with his ninth-minute finish of Matt Targett’s cross, before Conway’s 28th-minute strike and Morgan Whittaker’s effort from his interception of Lewis Gibson put the hosts in control at half time.
Conway wrapped up victory with a rebound 54th-minute finish from Jack Walton’s fumble of Leo Castledine’s free-kick.
Middlesbrough remain second in the Championship table and moved to within three points of league leaders, Coventry, whilst Preston remain sixth ahead of the mid-afternoon kick-offs.
Fresh off the back of their second-half comeback at Stoke in midweek, Middlesbrough almost suffered an early setback after Targett chested down Jordan Storey’s header onto his left wrist, yet referee – Andy Madley ruled that it wasn’t intentional handball to Preston’s chagrin.
Boro soon settled after that early scare and took the lead in the ninth minute after Browne met Targett’s cross, which saw the midweek hero find space to rifle a low shot past Walton.
The game subsequently began stop-start due to stoppages for various minor injuries but Boro remained on top as Browne curled a 23rd-minute shot wide from Luke Ayling’s cross.
Ayling however proved key to Boro’s second goal just five minutes later as he unleashed a direct forward long ball up the right flank, which was gathered by Conway and rifled in past Walton’s reach to double the hosts’ lead.
Preston lacked a cutting edge to try and turn the match around but a careless dawdle on the ball from Gibson allowed Whittaker to intercept, from which he calmly struck a low left-footed shot past Walton to further extend Boro’s lead at half time.
Any faint hope that Preston held of a second-half comeback was extinguished in the 50th minute after Storey was red carded for a careless foul on Conway.
Conway further rubbed salt in the Lilywhites’ wounds just four minutes later after a free-kick was curled into the near left corner by Castledine, only for Walton to parry his save into Conway’s path which he swiftly smashed home to seal Boro’s victory.
What’s Next?
Middlesbrough host relegation-battling Norwich in their next league match on Saturday 31 January at 3pm GMT at the Riverside Stadium.
Preston meanwhile at the exact same time on that day head to another promotion challenger, Ipswich at Portman Road.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Sol Brynn, Luke Ayling, Adilson Malanda (Munroe 85′), Dael Fry, Matt Targett (Silvera 60′), Aidan Morris (Burgzorg 61′), Alan Browne, Hayden Hackney (McGree 74′), Morgan Whittaker, Tommy Conway (Gilbert 61′), Leo Castledine
Substitutes: Callum Brittain, Delano Burgzorg, Alex Gilbert, Sverre Nypan, Sontje Hansen, Riley McGree, Jon McLaughlin, Finlay Munroe, Samuel Silvera
Preston: Jack Walton, Jordan Storey, Lewis Gibson, Odeluga Offiah, Pol Valentin, Alfie Devine (Froksjaer-Jensen 58′), Ben Whiteman (Thompson 58′), Ali McCann, Jamal Lewis (Vukcevic 76′), Lewis Dobbin (Small 58′), Daniel Jebbison (Smith 76′)
Substitutes: David Cornell, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, Liam Lindsay, Noah Mawene, Kitt Nelson, Thierry Small, Michael Smith, Jordan Thompson, Andrija Vukcevic
Referee – Andy Madley
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