Middlesbrough came from a goal down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion and record a seventh straight home win.
Match-winner Marcus Tavernier played a part in all three goals as Chris Wilder’s Boro extended the punchless Baggies’ run to six games without a win.
After almost eight hours without a goal, Steve Bruce’s Albion took the lead on 28 minutes when Andy Carroll made a menace of himself, got to the by-line, his pull-back was half cleared to Jayson Molumby, whose left-footed shot deflected in off Tavernier.
But Boro were level on the hour when Riley McGree cut the Albion defence open with a superb ball, Tavernier pulled back and Paddy McNair arrived right on cue to steer home right-footed for his first goal in three months.
Tavernier then got on the scoresheet himself when Anfernee Dijksteel and Isaiah Jones combined and Jones crossed for the Boro midfielder to meet at the far post – and sentence travel-sick Albion to a sixth straight away defeat.
Baggies still backfiring
For the first hour at the Riverside, Bruce’s reshuffled side looked on course to extend Albion’s recent run of results on Teesside, where they had won on three of their past five trips.
Up against Wilder, who was still playing for Sheffield United when Bruce began his managerial career at Bramall Lane in 1999, the Baggies boss reverted to a 4-3-3 formation.
He recalled Grady Diangana, who had scored Albion’s previous goal in the 3-0 win over Peterborough exactly a month ago, and right-back Dara O’Shea, who made his first start since recovering from the fractured ankle he suffered on international duty for the Republic of Ireland in September.
But Boro’s fightback means West Brom have now shipped seven second-half goals in their past five games. And that adds to the problem they have up front where, aside from the physical threat of Carroll, they offered very little.
After inheriting a Baggies side who had not scored in their previous two games, Bruce had suffered three successive blanks since taking over, during which time his team had picked up just a solitary point.
Once Boro had stepped up a gear after a double substitution in the 55th minute, Albion had no answer – and there could have been more home goals as Wilder’s men went to complete the club’s best home winning streak since September 2018, to lift them back up into sixth, at least for 24 hours.
Who’s next?
Albion stay 11th but are now six points outside the play-offs – and could be lower still by the time they head into their next game at home to Swansea City on Monday night, after the rest of the Championship clubs have played.
Boro’s next game is this Saturday at relegation battlers Barnsley.
Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Tees
“With the quality they’ve got, West Brom were favourites to go up at the start of the season and things haven’t turned out like they hoped. But they’ve had a change of manager, they’ve still got good players – and we’ve passed a big test here.
“We were getting frustrated in the first half, including me, as a few decisions didn’t go our way, but we got to half-time and calmed ourselves down.
“We started off better in the second half, hit the ball a bit longer and turned them round a bit more and then the momentum of our substitutions gave not just the team but the whole stadium a lift and, from the moment we equalised, there was only going to be one winner.”
Albion boss Steve Bruce told BBC Radio WM:
“It was night and day from what we witnessed on Saturday and I have to thank the supporters for making the trip after what they saw at Luton.
“I didn’t have a lot behind me in terms of going forward, whereas Chris Wilder’s substitutions gave them something. But we made mistakes for both their goals, got caught and got punished.
“But there’s still a lot to play for if we stay like that and if we can get a few back fit but I’m still confident we can stay there and thereabouts.”
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Lumley
- 2Dijksteel
- 6Fry
- 17McNair
- 35JonesBooked at 86mins
- 48McGree
- 16HowsonBooked at 90mins
- 7Tavernier
- 3TaylorSubstituted forWatmoreat 55′minutes
- 47BalogunSubstituted forSporarat 55′minutes
- 26ConnollySubstituted forPeltierat 83′minutes
Substitutes
- 11Sporar
- 14Peltier
- 18Watmore
- 22Bamba
- 23Léa Siliki
- 28Daniels
- 37Coburn
West Brom
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Johnstone
- 4O’Shea
- 6Ajayi
- 5Bartley
- 3TownsendSubstituted forFurlongat 82′minutesBooked at 86mins
- 27Mowatt
- 14MolumbyBooked at 31mins
- 11DianganaSubstituted forTullochat 80′minutes
- 20ReachBooked at 37minsSubstituted forRobinsonat 76′minutes
- 18Grant
- 15Carroll
Substitutes
- 2Furlong
- 7Robinson
- 16Clarke
- 21Kipré
- 25Button
- 28Tulloch
- 29Gardner-Hickman
- Referee:
- Michael Salisbury
- Attendance:
- 21,646
Live Text
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Match ends, Middlesbrough 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Offside, Middlesbrough. Patrick McNair tries a through ball, but Lee Peltier is caught offside.
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Foul by Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough).
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Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lee Peltier (Middlesbrough).
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Rayhaan Tulloch (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Riley McGree (Middlesbrough).
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Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lee Peltier (Middlesbrough).
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Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
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Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
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Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Andy Carroll (West Bromwich Albion).
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Patrick McNair.
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Attempt missed. Andy Carroll (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
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Substitution, Middlesbrough. Lee Peltier replaces Aaron Connolly.
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Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Darnell Furlong replaces Conor Townsend.
Marcus Tavernier’s Middlesbrough winner was only his second goal of the seasonMiddlesbrough came from a goal down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion and record a seventh straight home win.Match-winner Marcus Tavernier played a part in all three goals as Chris Wilder’s Boro extended the punchless Baggies’ run to six games without a win.After almost eight hours without a goal, Steve Bruce’s Albion took the lead on 28 minutes when Andy Carroll made a menace of himself, got to the by-line, his pull-back was half cleared to Jayson Molumby, whose left-footed shot deflected in off Tavernier.But Boro were level on the hour when Riley McGree cut the Albion defence open with a superb ball, Tavernier pulled back and Paddy McNair arrived right on cue to steer home right-footed for his first goal in three months.Tavernier then got on the scoresheet himself when Anfernee Dijksteel and Isaiah Jones combined and Jones crossed for the Boro midfielder to meet at the far post – and sentence travel-sick Albion to a sixth straight away defeat.Jayson Molumby’s first goal for West Bromwich Albion, set up by Andy Carroll, was only the second of his career – and his first in front of a crowdBaggies still backfiring For the first hour at the Riverside, Bruce’s reshuffled side looked on course to extend Albion’s recent run of results on Teesside, where they had won on three of their past five trips.Up against Wilder, who was still playing for Sheffield United when Bruce began his managerial career at Bramall Lane in 1999, the Baggies boss reverted to a 4-3-3 formation.He recalled Grady Diangana, who had scored Albion’s previous goal in the 3-0 win over Peterborough exactly a month ago, and right-back Dara O’Shea, who made his first start since recovering from the fractured ankle he suffered on international duty for the Republic of Ireland in September.But Boro’s fightback means West Brom have now shipped seven second-half goals in their past five games. And that adds to the problem they have up front where, aside from the physical threat of Carroll, they offered very little. After inheriting a Baggies side who had not scored in their previous two games, Bruce had suffered three successive blanks since taking over, during which time his team had picked up just a solitary point.Once Boro had stepped up a gear after a double substitution in the 55th minute, Albion had no answer – and there could have been more home goals as Wilder’s men went to complete the club’s best home winning streak since September 2018, to lift them back up into sixth, at least for 24 hours.Who’s next?Albion stay 11th but are now six points outside the play-offs – and could be lower still by the time they head into their next game at home to Swansea City on Monday night, after the rest of the Championship clubs have played.Boro’s next game is this Saturday at relegation battlers Barnsley.Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Tees”With the quality they’ve got, West Brom were favourites to go up at the start of the season and things haven’t turned out like they hoped. But they’ve had a change of manager, they’ve still got good players – and we’ve passed a big test here.”We were getting frustrated in the first half, including me, as a few decisions didn’t go our way, but we got to half-time and calmed ourselves down.”We started off better in the second half, hit the ball a bit longer and turned them round a bit more and then the momentum of our substitutions gave not just the team but the whole stadium a lift and, from the moment we equalised, there was only going to be one winner.”Albion boss Steve Bruce told BBC Radio WM:”It was night and day from what we witnessed on Saturday and I have to thank the supporters for making the trip after what they saw at Luton.”I didn’t have a lot behind me in terms of going forward, whereas Chris Wilder’s substitutions gave them something. But we made mistakes for both their goals, got caught and got punished.”But there’s still a lot to play for if we stay like that and if we can get a few back fit but I’m still confident we can stay there and thereabouts.”Line-upsMiddlesbroughFormation 3-5-21Lumley2Dijksteel6Fry17McNair35Jones48McGree16Howson7Tavernier3Taylor47Balogun26Connolly1Lumley2Dijksteel6Fry17McNair35JonesBooked at 86mins48McGree16HowsonBooked at 90mins7Tavernier3TaylorSubstituted forWatmoreat 55’minutes47BalogunSubstituted forSporarat 55’minutes26ConnollySubstituted forPeltierat 83’minutesSubstitutes11Sporar14Peltier18Watmore22Bamba23Léa Siliki28Daniels37CoburnWest BromFormation 4-2-3-11Johnstone4O’Shea6Ajayi5Bartley3Townsend27Mowatt14Molumby11Diangana20Reach18Grant15Carroll1Johnstone4O’Shea6Ajayi5Bartley3TownsendSubstituted forFurlongat 82’minutesBooked at 86mins27Mowatt14MolumbyBooked at 31mins11DianganaSubstituted forTullochat 80’minutes20ReachBooked at 37minsSubstituted forRobinsonat 76’minutes18Grant15CarrollSubstitutes2Furlong7Robinson16Clarke21Kipré25Button28Tulloch29Gardner-HickmanReferee:Michael SalisburyAttendance:21,646Live TextMatch ends, Middlesbrough 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.Offside, Middlesbrough. Patrick McNair tries a through ball, but Lee Peltier is caught offside.Foul by Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough).Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Lee Peltier (Middlesbrough).Rayhaan Tulloch (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.Foul by Riley McGree (Middlesbrough).Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Lee Peltier (Middlesbrough).Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Andy Carroll (West Bromwich Albion).Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Patrick McNair.Attempt missed. Andy Carroll (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.Substitution, Middlesbrough. Lee Peltier replaces Aaron Connolly.Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Darnell Furlong replaces Conor Townsend.