Middlesbrough

The Lilywhites, who started the evening sixth, had no answer to Boro’s first half display that earned them a three-goal advantage at the break.

Preston struggled to make an impact in the final third and were cut open too easily by a home side, who won 4-0 and closed the gap to the Sky Bet Championship play-off zone to three points.

Middlesbrough winger Isaiah Jones’ calmly-taken double in the 16th and 37th minutes sandwiched Rav van den Berg’s first senior goal in the 26th minute after he scored from a corner.

Even though the points had already been secured at half-time, Middlesbrough full-back Alex Bangura curled in from just inside the area to make it 4-0 in the fourth minute of added-time at the end of the contest.

And Carrick, whose side head to fourth-placed Leeds on Saturday, said: “We played well in spells, that’s football. Performance-wise we have played better in some games, but goals at both ends tell the story.

“We were ruthless, we created and defended very well in terms of limiting them. It was a new back four who hadn’t played together before, they played well.

“We will definitely take 4-0. I can’t fault the boys, sometimes it will work and sometimes it might go against us.

“I was confident going into the game, there was good balance even if it was quite new in terms of the changes. I thought we were in good shape and that proved to be the case.

“We lost Dael Fry and Hayden Hackney (groin and hamstring injuries) from Saturday, it tends to be the way we are going. We had eight senior players out tonight.

“That’s why the squad is vital and we can’t make excuses. The boys cracked on and we are now preparing for Saturday.”

Preston have now won just two of their last 11 matches having started the season with six wins from the opening seven fixtures.

Boss Ryan Lowe, whose side did not record a shot on target until the final 20 minutes, said: “I’m angry, disappointed, but they are my group of players, win, lose or draw.

“There were harsh words in the dressing room. They have given us some fantastic football, but when we went one down there was fear that set in.

“The first half performance was nowhere near the levels we expect. If we want to keep being a mid-table team those are mid-table performances, but we don’t want to be that team.

“The lads know that the first half was nowhere near the levels we require.

“We came here with full belief we could challenge. Boro are not the formidable side from last season, even though they still have good players and a fantastic coach, but I expect us to be better.

“I will stick with the players. They know it is not good enough. We have let everyone down and what we have to do now is put it right as quickly as we can.

“I will give them the benefit of the doubt tonight, but if we don’t get it right then we will flip it around because we want to keep progressing. The first 45 minutes was not acceptable.”

Having started the campaign reasonably slowly, the Potters have exploded into life in the past week with successive victories over Sunderland, Leeds and Middlesbrough.

The latest of those wins saw them triumph 2-0 over Boro at the Riverside Stadium thanks to first-half goals from Michael Rose and Mehdi Leris.

The win saw Stoke climb into the top half of the table for the first time this season, with Neil confident his side will only get better as his summer signings continue to bed in.

He said: “I think the last three results and performances show where we could get to. It shows the potential.

“I think we look relatively settled now in terms of how we’re going to play, and we’ve managed to churn out three great performances and three great results in a row.

“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves – I think there’s been too many false dawns at Stoke, but I think, for us, we’ve got great potential and great scope. We’re only going to get better, and I’m expecting us to be good this season.”

Stoke’s win was achieved without goalkeeper Mark Travers, who was recalled by his parent club Bournemouth on Friday because of an injury to their first-choice Neto.

Neil said: “We’re gutted. You want as many strong players in your squad as you can. To lose Trav is hugely disappointing, especially because I thought he was coming on to a great game just before he left.

“He was feeling at ease at the club. It’s only just into double figures of games that he’s played for us, but unfortunately he’s had to go back. That’s a blow, but football’s always challenging somewhere along the line.”

Middlesbrough were chasing the game from the moment Rose headed home from a corner in the eighth minute, and fell further behind when Leris fired an angled drive into the bottom corner eight minutes before the break.

Josh Coburn struck the crossbar with a long-range drive, but Michael Carrick admitted his side had fallen short of the standards they had set as they embarked on a seven-game winning run that is now at an end.

Carrick said: “It’s disappointing. You’ve got to put things into perspective as well though. They are a good team, and if you are little bit off it then you get punished in this league.

“It just shows the levels that it takes to win games and look like you’re winning well. We were just a little bit off it really, from the start you could just feel we weren’t quite there.

“Even then, at half-time, I thought we finished the half well enough where there was enough in it there to have a real good go in the second half. It just didn’t really materialise in the end.”

Dozzell’s powerful strike from outside the area two minutes before half-time put Gareth Ainsworth’s side in command at the Riverside.

And the 24-year-old midfielder, who moved to Loftus Road two years ago from Ipswich, was among the celebrations 19 minutes from time when Jack Colback hammered in the QPR’s second.

It was a much-needed second victory of the season for QPR but one that has left Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough without a win in five league games.

Neither side posed a threat to either of the goalkeepers in the opening exchanges, despite QPR finding the space down the flanks.

Ilias Chair, who remained at QPR despite reported transfer window interest from Leicester, was involved down the left a couple of times in the opening few minutes.

The Morocco international was able to get to the byline and pick out a team-mate in the area on both occasions without troubling former Rs keeper Seny Dieng’s net.

When QPR did push forward through Chair, Kenneth Paal or Paul Smyth down the opposite flank, Middlesbrough were alert to prevent shots hitting the target.

And it was a similar story in the opposite direction, where Isaiah Jones, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Rogers looked the most likely to create something early on for the hosts.

But the only real chance of note in the first 40 minutes was when Jones controlled a Silvera pass before his shot was stopped by the foot of Asmir Begovic.

That arrived in the 25th minute and Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath was also denied by Begovic 10 minutes later when he tried to beat him from a tight angle.

Smyth highlighted what danger he could pose when he worked his way into the area from the right and his low delivery across the six-yard box was crying out for Sinclair Armstrong to stretch to meet the ball, but it evaded him.

Another Smyth run caused panic in the home defence seconds before Dozzell found himself in loads of space 25 yards from goal. The midfielder’s thunderous drive crashed in off the left-hand post to put QPR ahead.

And in the sixth minute of stoppage time Begovic dived to his right to turn away a downward Darragh Lenihan header from Jonny Howson’s free-kick to keep the visitors in front.

After the restart frustrations started to grow for Middlesbrough.

Lath, who had already been denied by Begovic again, wasted a fantastic situation when Boro had a three-against-one on a counter-attack. QPR were gifted the ball, broke and Dieng prevented Sinclair from scoring at the other end.

Middlesbrough handed second-half appearances to new signings Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien following loan moves from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively.

And Begovic was on hand once more to prevent Lath scoring after the striker linked up with Silvera in the penalty area on the hour.

Soon after a phantom whistle brought a short interruption in play, QPR had the important second goal.

Smyth again got to the line and beyond full-back Lukas Engel. His low cross led to Chair’s shot being blocked before former Newcastle and Sunderland midfielder Colback powered his drive into the net, and there was no way back for Boro after that.

Bellingham got off the mark for 2024-25 with a crashing finish from 25 yards out to put Sunderland ahead shortly before half-time at the Stadium of Light.

Wilson Isidor then tapped home following great work from Romaine Mundle after the break as the Black Cats earned their sixth win from eight league games this term.

While Derby – who missed several chances to get back into the game – sit 13th on nine points, Regis Le Bris' side overtook West Brom to go top of the table on 18.

The Baggies relinquished their position due to a 1-0 home defeat against Middlesbrough, with Hayden Hackney netting the only goal after 73 minutes.

No away team had scored at the Hawthorns in almost six months, but Hackney found the bottom corner with a sweeping finish after taking in Riley McGree's pass for the winner.

Carlos Corberan's men slipped two places to third, with Burnley also overtaking them by beating Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle 1-0 at Turf Moor.

The Clarets needed a 26th-minute Josh Brownhill penalty, awarded for Darko Gyabi's foul on Josh Cullen, to get over the line despite Plymouth not attempting a single shot on target.

Fellow high-flyers Blackburn Rovers, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the campaign at Coventry City, who recorded a deeply impressive 3-0 win at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Jake Bidwell, Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante were on target for last season's FA Cup semi-finalists, who climbed to 16th in the table. Blackburn sit fifth.

Leeds United are level with Blackburn, but have a superior goal difference and sit fourth, after fighting back to draw 1-1 at Norwich City.

Josh Sargent's early penalty gave Norwich the lead over their former boss Daniel Farke, but Largie Ramazani's goal on the hour earned Leeds a point amid a better second-half display.

Scott Parker's side could have put pressure on Sheffield United with a win, but now find themselves one point behind the leaders, who face West Brom on Sunday. 

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Daniel Barlaser released Anfernee Dijksteel, with the Middlesbrough right-back dinking cleverly over James Trafford.

But Burnley drew level before the interval when Connor Roberts' looped strike from distance caught Seny Dieng off his line. 

Burnley's hopes of building on the equaliser after the break did not materialise as Boro created the better chances, with Tommy Conway and Delano Burgzorg denied by Trafford early in the second half. 

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, sit in fifth place and are one point above Watford, who have a game in hand. 

Data Debrief: Burnley defence finally breached 

Burnley had kept a clean sheet in each of their last five Championship matches heading into this contest, but that run was brought to an end by Michael Carrick's side on Friday. 

Parker's team attempted 15 shots in the game, which was five more than their opponents, but only managed an expected goals (xG) total of 0.67, while Boro managed an xG of 0.88. 

However, the Clarets are still unbeaten in six league matches (W4 D2) and have the best defence in the league - conceding just seven goals in 19 matches. The result also meant that they are now unbeaten in their last six league meetings against Boro (W3 D3).

Scott Parker's side could have put pressure on Sheffield United with a win, but now find themselves one point behind the leaders, who face West Brom on Sunday. 

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Daniel Barlaser released Anfernee Dijksteel, with the Middlesbrough right-back dinking cleverly over James Trafford.

But Burnley drew level before the interval when Connor Roberts' looped strike from distance caught Seny Dieng off his line. 

Burnley's hopes of building on the equaliser after the break did not materialise as Boro created the better chances, with Tommy Conway and Delano Burgzorg denied by Trafford early in the second half. 

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, sit in fifth place and are one point above Watford, who have a game in hand. 

Data Debrief: Burnley defence finally breached 

Burnley had kept a clean sheet in each of their last five Championship matches heading into this contest, but that run was brought to an end by Michael Carrick's side on Friday. 

Parker's team attempted 15 shots in the game, which was five more than their opponents, but only managed an expected goals (xG) total of 0.67, while Boro managed an xG of 0.88. 

However, the Clarets are still unbeaten in six league matches (W4 D2) and have the best defence in the league - conceding just seven goals in 19 matches. The result also meant that they are now unbeaten in their last six league meetings against Boro (W3 D3).

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi marked his 22nd birthday in style, scoring a goal in each half, as the Blades brushed aside their struggling visitors on Saturday.

The youngster was denied in the opening stages, but still ensured United got off to a strong start, firing in an emphatic finish after just 12 minutes.

He then got his second just seven minutes after the restart, sliding it through Thomas Kaminski's legs.

The Blades should have had a third late on when Vinicius Souza struck the post, but they had already done enough to take advantage of Sunderland dropping points on Friday to join them on 19 points at the summit.

Luton, meanwhile, are winless in three as they sit just above the relegation zone in 21st place.

Elsewhere, Plymouth Argyle snatched a dramatic 2-1 home win over Blackburn Rovers, after manager Wayne Rooney had been sent off.

Michael Obafemi's 15th-minute goal looked enough to secure a win until Joe Rankin-Costello equalised with four minutes left of normal time.

Rooney was subsequently sent to the stands for his protests as he felt there was a foul in the build-up, meaning he was not on the touchline when Morgan Whittaker headed in a last-gasp winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Watford also secured a late victory, with Tom Cleverley's side coming from behind to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

It initially looked like they were in danger of falling to a second consecutive defeat, having failed to create chances before George Edmundson took advantage of slack defending to put Boro ahead.

However, the Hornets' substitutions swung the game back in their favour, with Edo Kayembe pulling them level before Kwadwo Baah's half-volley secured the points in the 87th minute.

Yet the top two in England's second tier look increasingly likely to be the pair promoted to the Premier League, with third-placed Fulham suffering a damaging home defeat against Brentford.

In the first matches following the league's three-month coronavirus suspension, a new hero emerged for mid-table Derby County as 18-year-old Louie Sibley scored a hat-trick in their win at Millwall.

And Rhian Brewster, a striker on loan from Liverpool, gave Swansea City's play-off hopes a boost by netting twice at Middlesbrough, as well as making a powerful political statement.

POINT A MIXED BLESSING FOR BAGGIES

With Leeds in action at Cardiff City on Sunday, West Brom had an opportunity to go two points clear of Marcelo Bielsa's team as the league resumed.

Bilic's players dominated the derby clash and had a host of chances but could not find a breakthrough, and a stalemate at the Hawthorns potentially plays into the hands of Leeds.

The top two are now level on points, with West Brom top on goal difference, but Leeds will have the chance to go three clear before the next round of games.

BEES STING NEIGHBOURS

Said Benrahma and Emiliano Marcondes scored late for Brentford in a 2-0 win at promotion rivals Fulham, a result that leaves West Brom and Leeds seven points clear with eight games remaining for the play-off pack.

Nottingham Forest were heading for victory at Sheffield Wednesday after Joe Lolley gave the visitors a 69th-minute lead, only for Connor Wickham to grab a stoppage-time leveller for the Owls.

Forest sit fifth, four points clear of a Preston North End side who were held 1-1 at Luton Town, Callum McManaman firing a late equaliser for the hosts, who nevertheless fell to the foot of the table.

KING LOUIE

Blackburn Rovers beat Bristol City 3-1 in a battle between teams fighting with Preston for sixth place, but the individual performance of the day came from Sibley, whose heroics guided Derby to their 3-2 win at Millwall.

"I'm absolutely buzzing," Sibley told Rams TV. "To get that hat-trick was just unbelievable. When the third goal went in, I couldn't stop smiling."

Brewster was not far behind, his double steering Swansea to a 3-0 victory at lowly Middlesbrough.

Brewster held up a shirt that read "our colour is not a crime" after his first goal, expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

TIGERS ON THE SLIDE

Wigan Athletic were 2-0 winners at fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town, while Hull City slipped into the bottom three after losing 1-0 at home against Charlton Athletic.

Barnsley climbed off the bottom by winning 1-0 at QPR, and Stoke City drew 1-1 at Reading.

The visitors squandered numerous opportunities and hit the woodwork twice in a frustrating afternoon in front of goal.

Rotherham took full advantage, with Cohen Bramall netting the second-half winner to end the Millers’ 11-game winless run.

Middlesbrough had won back-to-back games coming into this one and started full of confidence.

Isaiah Jones had the first effort on target but his effort from the edge of the box was easily gathered by goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

Rotherham’s Swedish international stopper was forced into a much more challenging save through Sam Greenwood’s powerful drive which he tipped over for a corner.

Middlesbrough were building their attacks patiently and another chance fell the way of Greenwood and this time the Leeds loanee rattled the crossbar from the edge of the box.

The Millers’ first real chance came when central defender Sean Morrison put in a low cross which Sam Nombe tried to turn goalwards.

Middlesbrough sprung a threatening looking counter-attack through Sam Silvera and he found Jones but again his effort was tame.

Rotherham started the second half with much more urgency but Boro carved out the best opening chance when Silvera was sent down the left by Jonny Howson. His shot across goal drifted wide.

The visiting crowd were calling for a penalty when Alex Bangura went down in the box from a tackle by Hakeem Odoffin but it was waved away by referee Andrew Kitchen.

A huge chance fell the way of Greenwood but his side-footed shot was blocked by Seb Revan.

The Millers then took the lead in fortuitous circumstances after 72 minutes with Bramall’s misplaced cross deceiving Tom Glover and flying into the top corner.

Middlesbrough pushed players forward in an attempt to level and Anfernee Dijksteel’s effort had to be charged down by Odoffin.

Boro substitute Riley McGree then saw his low effort turned onto a post by Johansson and the ball rolled away to safety.

Another replacement, Josh Coburn, had a shooting chance but again Odoffin got in the way to block.

Two former Millers almost combined to net for Boro late on with Matt Crooks heading Dan Barlaser’s corner just off target.

The Brazil-born midfielder’s sweet 57th-minute strike clinched a 1-0 aggregate victory in a desperately tight second leg at the Riverside Stadium.

Mark Robins’ side will meet Luton at Wembley on May 27 with a return to the top flight for the first time since 2001 up for grabs.

It proved the perfect ending to a day on which the Sky Blues announced their manager had agreed a new four-year contract, but an intensely disappointing one for opposite number Michael Carrick, whose side will spend a seventh year in the second tier as a result.

Boro started in confident mood with left-back Ryan Giles threatening repeatedly, although they almost shot themselves in the foot after eight minutes when Viktor Gyokeres picked off Tommy Smith’s ill-judged back-pass, but goalkeeper Zack Steffen came to the rescue with a fine save as the striker attempted to round him.

City gradually worked their way into the game and forced a series of free-kicks with defender Kyle McFadzean heading high over from Hamer’s 17th-minute cross, and as Liam Kelly and Ben Sheaf started to make their mark in the middle of the field, there was little to choose between the teams.

Both Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer felt the full force of Coventry’s rugged approach as Sheaf and then McFadzean clattered into them, and referee David Coote eventually lost patience and booked Callum Doyle for a clumsy challenge on Akpom.

Jake Bidwell bravely blocked Marcus Forss’ shot from Giles’ deep cross five minutes before the break and Darragh Lenihan headed an Alex Mowatt corner straight at Ben Wilson, but the tie remained finely poised when the half-time whistle sounded.

The Sky Blues returned reinvigorated with Jamie Allen conducting affairs menacingly behind lone striker Gyokeres, although the midfielder miskicked from just six yards out after Gyokeres and Sheaf had capitalised on Akpom’s 50th-minute error.

And it was the visitors who forced their way in front when Sheaf pounced on Giles’ loose pass to find Gyokeres, who evaded Steffen’s challenge before Hamer took over, stepped inside Forss and fired into the top corner.

He might have doubled his tally with 15 minutes remaining, but saw his free-kick crash back off the crossbar with Steffen beaten to preserve Boro’s fading hopes.

But despite a last-gasp flurry during which substitute Matt Crooks had the ball in the net from an offside position, Boro were unable to force extra-time.

Latte Lath, a summer signing from Atalanta, moved into double figures for league goals this season with strikes either side of half-time as Boro extended their unbeaten run to seven games.

Michael Carrick’s side have now kept five clean sheets in their last six games and head for rivals Hull on Wednesday night six points adrift of the play-off places.

Swansea are 15th in the Championship after a third successive game without a win. Last month’s 2-0 South Wales derby success against Cardiff is the only win in the last six for Luke Williams’ side.

They did have a couple of opportunities to get themselves in front early on at the Riverside, both falling to Jerry Yates.

The striker’s touch let him down when he was unmarked in the box and picked out by Ronald Pereira Martins, allowing Jonny Howson to sweep up and clear. And inside quarter of an hour, Martins again teed up Yates but the 27-year-old was not able to direct his header on goal.

Finn Azaz and Isaiah Jones both had openings for Boro but flashed efforts wide from inside the box.

Latte Lath was Boro’s liveliest player in the first half and he tested Carl Rushworth with a low early strike and called the keeper into action again with a strike from the edge of the box.

The Ivorian broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time. He was first to pounce on a loose ball after Rushworth parried a Jones cross, but there was still plenty of work to be done. Despite the fact six Swansea defenders blocked the route to goal, the striker still managed to squeeze his shot in at the front post.

Swansea were almost gifted a leveller within two minutes of the restart. Dan Barlaser wanted too much time on the edge of his own box and as visiting attackers flocked around him, panicked and made a mess of an attempted backpass to Seny Dieng that flashed just past the post.

Barlaser again played Boro into trouble with a loose pass that was intercepted by Jamal Lowe. The forward charged towards the box and took aim for the far corner but Dieng was equal to it.

Swansea probed but struggled to create any clear cut chances and Latte Lath wrapped up the points 11 minutes from time when he cut on to his right foot and clinically found the top corner.

The 21-year-old’s contract with the Bees had expired and he declined fresh terms, with a number of clubs said to be vying for his signature.

Republic of Ireland youth international Gilbert captained Brentford’s B team last season, scoring 16 goals and providing eight assists.

Andre Dozzell’s thunderbolt opener that crashed in off the inside of the post two minutes before half-time put Rangers on track for a second win of the season. It was his first in two years with the club.

And with 19 minutes remaining former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback added the second on Teesside when he fired in through a crowded area.

Ainsworth, who did not add to his squad on transfer deadline day, thinks he has seen enough already this season to suggest QPR are going to make an impact on the division.

“The enjoyment comes from getting what you deserve, over the last three or four weeks,” said Ainsworth.

“I have had a good look at myself. How I want to play. And the boys are buying into the identity. They have emptied the tank for us.

“You can put the systems in place but you can’t always get them to empty the tank. These boys are a real team for me.

“I did a little graph before the game and showed them where I want them to go, they have bought into this upward curve. I have just said this isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s been sensational and two great goals.

“As a man who shoots from distance, Andre’s goal eclipsed my goals, that was so special.

“I’m really pleased for him, and I hope he takes a leaf out of Jack’s book of two in two – that’s one player we didn’t sign for his goalscoring quality.”

While Ainsworth was impressed, Boro counterpart Michael Carrick was left wondering how his side are still searching for a first league win. Middlesbrough have claimed just one point from 15.

Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien, signed on loan from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively, both made second-half debuts for Middlesbrough but QPR claimed the points.

Middlesbrough, last season’s play-off semi-finalists, signed 12 players during the summer window, so the squad has a completely different feel to it.

One of those newcomers, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, was denied a goal on numerous occasions by QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

Carrick said: “I’m disappointed really. We didn’t help ourselves for spells in the game, we had big chances as well, opportunities to score. We will accept it wasn’t good enough in general, that’s clear but at the same point we had the chances to take.

“We can’t keep saying it, we have to do something about it. I’m disappointed for the players, supporters, it’s not great for them to see that. Players have to find a way to get that spark back that we lacked today.

“Missing chances is part of it, the fact we are making a lot, clear-cut ones as well. Sometimes there is a spell when they don’t fall for you, but it is up to us to do something about it and make sure it doesn’t happen.

“We are having really big chances. That gives us a lot of confidence.

“There were a few things, we didn’t start as well as we could have. There are reasons we will have to look at. A slow start to the game made it harder, we were chasing after that. There were moments when we looked good and it was a mixed bag.”

Midfielder Hayden Hackney scored a stunner just after the hour mark to rescue a point for Michael Carrick’s side, cancelling out Dael Fry’s own goal 14 minutes earlier, with the draw meaning both Boro and the Terriers are still looking for their first win of the Championship season.

Former Arsenal striker Akpom this week completed a £12million move to Dutch giants Ajax on the back of his stunning 29-goal campaign for Carrick’s side last season.

Boro’s bid to find goals in Akpom’s absence led them to Emmanuel Latte Lath, who joined from Atalanta this week and made his debut against Town as did fellow new arrival Lukas Engel.

But the pair were denied a winning start by the Terriers and their returning manager Neil Warnock, who was back at the Riverside for the first time since he was sacked in November 2021.

Boro had lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2007 but made a bright start, with Latte Lath keen to impress. The Ivorian had two efforts on goal inside the first six minutes.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic in the opening stages, however.

Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng did well to claw away a Matty Pearson volley after 10 minutes before Brahima Diarra got a shot away on the swivel inside the six-yard box that clipped the outside of the post eight minutes later.

The Terriers made a dream start to the second period, taking the lead less than two minutes after the resumption when Sorba Thomas’ corner from the left was turned into his own net by Fry at the front post.

Thomas’ deliveries were causing problems and Town pushed for a second, with the home defence looking shaken and vulnerable.

It took Boro 10 minutes or so to settle after falling behind and Aussie winger Sammy Silvera lifted the Riverside crowd with a shot that clipped the top of the bar.

Ex-Manchester City forward Morgan Rogers went close on the hour mark after a fine individual run only to be denied by Lee Nicholls.

But there was nothing the Huddersfield keeper could do to keep out Hackney’s effort a minute later.

There looked to be little danger for Town when the midfielder received the ball on the left edge of the area but the 21-year-old shifted it on to his right foot and hit a thunderbolt into the top corner.

Boro had a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time but Silvera skied his effort inside the box.

Former Italy striker Maccarone spent four years as a team-mate of Southgate's at Middlesbrough, before playing his final six months at the Riverside Stadium under the tutelage of his former captain.

Maccarone had found himself out of favour under former boss Steve McLaren but was convinced to stay when Southgate took over ahead of the 2006-07 season.

But Maccarone made just one Premier League start and seven top-flight appearances in total before leaving for Siena in the January transfer window.

Southgate, who oversaw Boro's relegation in the 2008-09 campaign, has earned plenty of praise for his work with England, who he led to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia in 2018.

However, Maccarone was disappointed with his own personal treatment.

"I played the last seasons of his career with him and as a player he has always been correct, kind, humble," he told Stats Perform. 

"As a manager, though, I didn't like very much what he did to me. Besides I had already had some quarrels with his predecessor, Steve McLaren, another one who has managed England, when I reacted berating him a lot and then in hindsight I understood I had made some mistakes myself too. 

"But not with Southgate who talked me a lot into staying at Middlesborough, promising I would have played a lot since he knew well what had happened to me the season before. 

"But then, nothing even if we made seven points in the first six games. Big talks, no facts."

If things had played out differently, Maccarone could have been playing for Salzburg under Trappatoni, the man who had given him his Italy debut.

"When I was in England he was managing Salzburg in Austria," he added. 

"He had called me for one month to convince me to join him there but I still had a one year contract with Middlesborough and I wanted to prove myself there after a negative season despite some sparks in the UEFA Cup. 

"So I stayed with Southgate at Middlesborough when Trapattoni had made my dream of playing for Italy come true."

Asked if that is a decision he now regrets, Maccarone replied: "In hindsight yes. 

"But Southgate had been my team-mate and captain for four years. He kept telling me, 'I can't understand why [McLaren] doesn't let you play' but then when he became the manager he truncated my career at Boro.

"I said no to Trapattoni for Southgate but I should have done the opposite."

North End looked like a team that has won just two of their last 11 matches rather than one that started the night sixth in the Sky Bet Championship, as Middlesbrough cruised into a three-goal lead at the break.

Jones’ fourth and fifth goals of the season in the 16th and 37th minutes sandwiched Rav van den Berg’s first senior goal in the 26th minute to put Michael Carrick’s side well on track for their biggest home win of the season so far.

And deep in stoppage-time summer signing Alex Bangura cut inside his man to curl in the fourth to cap a miserable night for the visitors.

Despite losing Dael Fry at the heart of the defence, Boro were untroubled largely throughout the first half. The man who replaced him in the middle did the job at both ends.

Van den Berg, who has played right-back following his arrival from FC Zwolle, had been largely untested but was a calming influence on the ball in the opening exchanges.

That helped to lay the foundations for the opener. His central defensive partner Paddy McNair was involved in the move along with Jonny Howson and Dan Barlaser before Matt Crooks received possession 22 yards from goal. Rather than shoot, Crooks rolled a pass into the path of Jones for him to control and finish calmly at a time when the game was in need of some goalmouth quality.

It was 2-0 10 minutes later. Van den Berg coasted in at the back to meet Barlaser’s corner and, despite failing to head, the ball bounced off the defender’s chest and beat goalkeeper Freddie Woodman once more.

After a couple of tame Preston attempts to close the deficit, Middlesbrough extended their advantage eight minutes before half-time.

This time Morgan Rogers played in Jones and the winger lifted a lovely finish above and beyond Woodman.

Woodman had to make two big saves before the break to prevent Jones from grabbing a first half hat-trick and stop Rogers finding the target.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe’s frustrations were clear. He took Milutin Osmajic and Will Keane off and replaced them with Ched Evans and Calvin Ramsey at the start of the second half in a bid to make a fight of it.

But Boro, who climb to ninth with this victory, forced Woodman into another strong save to his left after a good move created an opening for Rogers.

The keeper also saved from Emmanuel Latte Lath before Bangura completed the scoring in the fourth minute of added time to wrap up a routine win for Boro.

The former Manchester United and England striker was left frustrated against ex-team-mate Michael Carrick’s Boro when Morgan Rogers flicked in an 89th-minute winner at the Riverside.

Rooney, who turns 38 on Tuesday, took over from John Eustace during the international break.

It was a day of emotion and reflection for both Rooney and Carrick as they heard the news of Sir Bobby Charlton’s death at half-time, with both sets of fans then chanting the World Cup winner’s name before the restart.

Both Rooney and Carrick had spent time with Charlton during their Old Trafford careers.

Middlesbrough had controlled the first half and wasted numerous opportunities, the best of which was when striker Josh Coburn was played in and fired wide, having earlier headed over the bar too.

But when Rogers, only 13 minutes after emerging as a substitute, arrived at the front post to turn in Matt Crooks’ low return pass, there was no way back for Birmingham – meaning defeat for Rooney in his first game.

Rooney, whose side have slipped to seventh after a fourth straight defeat on the road, said: “I have been quite calm. You always have a feeling before the game as player or manager, which is normal, but I was quite calm. I know what I want.

“I know where we need to get to. I knew this was a possibility today, but it will take time to get where we want to go.

“We might have to go through days like this and it is important we stay calm to ensure we hit the goals we really want to.

“You never enjoy when you lose, but it is great to be back in English football, great to be at Birmingham. Thankfully we have another game Wednesday.

He added: “There were parts of the game we wanted to take the ball more, but ultimately you don’t always get what you want in football. It is decision-making and game management.

“Even after Middlesbrough scored there were different moments in the game were our game management has to be better. That is what frustrated me in the last eight minutes.

“But we are a team trying to adapt to a different way and that will take time. During that period we do have to pick up points.”

Given Rooney and Carrick’s Old Trafford connections, it was ironic that it was Rogers, a former Manchester City player, who scored the winner.

The 21-year-old has scored twice in the league cup since his summer arrival from the Etihad, but this was his first goal in the Championship – and one that secured a fifth straight win for Middlesbrough.

Carrick, whose side moved a point behind seventh-placed Birmingham, said: “It was a big goal for all of us – a big goal to win a game.

“I’m really pleased for Morgan, he came on to make an impact. Goals like that can give you a massive boost and I am sure he will have an impact for the rest of the season.

“We did enough to win the game because we had enough chances, and those chances we could have scored from, they were good ones.

“I couldn’t fault the boys. It is tough when you go into a game like this because we didn’t really know
what we were going into, there wasn’t much we had to go on (after Rooney’s arrival).

“But I’m really pleased about the impact from the boys off the bench. They have all come off and made an impact in different ways.

“You never know if a goal is going to come, but you have to keep doing the right things and freshen up to try to create a spark. In the end the boys found a way to score.”

Jason Knight’s cool finish in the 16th minute was followed by Matty James’ drive in off the woodwork as Boro failed to get going.

Bristol City’s first league win since Boxing Day was enough to lift Liam Manning’s side level on points with the Teessiders in mid-table.

Middlesbrough did create chances and Samuel Silvera made things interesting in the closing seconds by pulling one back, without knowing much about it.

But head coach Michael Carrick had to suffer another defeat, with Boro having won only one of their last seven home league games. They have also picked up just five points from the last available 15.

Even though the Robins – who came through 120 minutes of FA Cup football against Nottingham Forest in midweek – had not won since Boxing Day, they were quick to make an impression.

George Tanner had already volleyed into the arms of goalkeeper Tom Glover, who had also done well to dive to his right to deny Harry Cornick from hitting the opener soon after.

The only time Middlesbrough threatened during the first half was when Hayden Hackney failed to bring the ball down quickly enough when he was picked out at the back post by Luke Ayling.

And City’s quickfire double came along shortly after. Defender Rob Dickie picked out Knight with an incisive through pass.

With just Glover to beat, Knight turned and spun away from the goalkeeper and Lukas Engel before finding the empty net.

Within two minutes Bristol City were two up. Highly-rated Hackney was at fault for gifting possession to James and the visitors’ captain fired in off the post from 20 yards.

Hackney tried to make amends 14 minutes later when his effort from 25 yards curled away from the far post, with goalkeeper Max O’Leary diving to cover.

But City should have been three up before the break. Cornick’s excellent run and pass from inside his own half put Sam Bell clear.

Rather than round Glover, Bell tried to beat him with a shot and the goalkeeper was big enough to thwart. That was followed by an O’Leary low save at the other end from Finn Azaz.

O’Leary had to be alert to make a strong save from Greenwood at the start of the second half after he had been picked out by Azaz in the box.

The Bristol City keeper made an even better save soon after by rushing off his line to deny Greenwood, who had been played in behind by Azaz. Marcus Forss also drilled an effort on the turn narrowly wide.

Middlesbrough tried different things but Manning’s men defended well. O’Leary also had to make another strong save to stop Rav van den Berg’s 25-yard drive from flying in.

Greenwood thought he had scored with 12 minutes to go only for the officials to rule it out for a very close offside call.

Middlesbrough did pull one back in stoppage-time when Azaz’s shot hit the back of substitute Silvera before bouncing in but it proved too little, too late.

It was a sixth draw in eight games for Rovers since Eustace replaced Jon Dahl Tomasson in the dugout and their third on the bounce – with Blackburn still three points above the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in four league games and have kept three clean sheets on the bounce, but their hopes of a top-six finish are hanging by a thread. Norwich’s win at Stoke means Michael Carrick’s side are now seven points adrift of the play-off places with eight games to play.

Both teams had their moments at the Riverside but lacked the clinical touch needed in front of goal.

Middlesbrough almost made the perfect start when Emmanuel Latte Lath was denied by the feet of Aynsley Pears inside two minutes. And the home side should have taken the lead when a corner from the right was glanced on by Luke Ayling into the path of Marcus Forss, who looked certain to score from just two yards out but somehow missed the target.

Blackburn threatened early on as well, with the Championship’s top scorer Sammie Szmodics unsurprisingly looking the away side’s best route to goal. He saw one low drive well saved by Seny Dieng and had another opening soon after but was denied by a fine slide tackle from Paddy McNair.

Boro were dealt a blow when Forss went off injured and lost their way a bit afterwards, but they almost forced a breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Ayling’s header was blocked on the line by Dominic Hyam.

Sensing an opportunity, Blackburn started to grow in confidence and Sam Gallagher stung the hands of Dieng with a fierce strike from the edge of the area.

Riley McGree scored a stunning winner for Boro at Birmingham on Tuesday night and looked to repeat it here but his shot from distance flashed wide. Defender Matt Clarke then headed wide from a Jonny Howson free-kick.

A Blackburn corner caused Boro problems and, after Scott Wharton’s header was blocked, substitute Tyrhys Dolan looked to turn in the rebound but was crowded out before the hosts managed to scramble clear.

Boro almost snatched a dramatic last-minute winner through Isaiah Jones when his shot was deflected onto the bar and substitute Sammy Silvera miskicked the rebound.

A total of 35 attempts on goal were shared by both teams as Sammie Szmodics’ brace secured a 2-1 triumph over bottom-of-the-table Middlesbrough.

Matt Crooks replied in an incredibly open game, but Tomasson insisted afterwards that he would “rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0” every week.

Former Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals for England, were among the luminaries paraded onto the pitch before kick-off and ex-Denmark striker Tomasson said: “It was good to see us win the club’s 5,000th game and to see all of the legends before the game.

“I hope they enjoyed it and all the fans did too. It was great to see that amount of chances and we should probably have been 3-0 up at half-time, so it was frustrating not to convert more of the opportunities.

“We then scored a difficult one early in the second half but Middlesbrough got one back, which I think the referee and his assistant will be disappointed by when they look back at it because
their player was totally alone three metres from goal and was offside.

“It was then a tough period for us.

“Their goal changed the momentum after all those chances we had missed, but we play football for the fans because they pay a lot of money and you have to give them something back, so I would rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0.”

Midfielder Szmodics’ brace took his tally for the season to four, with Tomasson confessing that such a haul is a boost after a summer in which Rovers lost attacking duo Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack.

He added: “Sammie went close to his first hat-trick in a Rovers shirt and he’s started this season on fire for us. That’s important because we haven’t got a proven goalscorer in the squad, so everybody needs to chip in.”

Boro more than played their part in an absorbing and pulsating contest, but have now collected just one point from their opening six games and, including last season’s two-legged play-off defeat to Coventry, have failed to win any of their last 11 league matches – a sequence that equals the club’s longest outside of top-flight football since January 1925.

Manager Michael Carrick insisted, though, that the mood in his squad remains “good”.

“The changing room was quiet after the game, but it’s not a horrible atmosphere by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “The mood is good.

“We’re not hiding from the fact that we need to get results, but there’s spirit and inner-belief in the group. It’s easy when people are telling me that I’m fantastic and the players that they are fantastic, but we knew a tough time would come at some point.

“Then, it’s how you deal with it and overcome it and, although this was an open game that probably suited them, I think we have controlled a lot of the other matches and it wouldn’t have taken much to tip the scales and turn the results in our favour.

“There were chances everywhere in this game and I thought we were right in it in the second half, but we are having to come back from setbacks too much at the moment.”