A much-improved second half and a Chuba Akpom brace helped Middlesbrough close the gap once more on second-placed Sheffield United as they beat QPR 3-1 at the Riverside.
Akpom scored twice in the second half, with Riley McGree sealing it late on, to ensure Boro capitalised on Sheffield United’s earlier slip-up to make the gap between Boro and automatic promotion just four points.
Akpom also scored his 20th goal of the season and his 19th in the league, as he moved within one of becoming the first Boro player since Bernie Slaven in 1990 to score 20 league goals for the club.
Sheffield United were the early kick-off in the Championship and so by the time Boro kicked off, they would have already been well-aware of the fact that Millwall had beaten the Blades.
That was only a result of significance if Boro capitalised, however.
Ahead of it, Michael Carrick described it as a “dangerous game” for Boro, with the R’s in such poor form but having dangerous players within their ranks who were sure to come to life again at some point.
Perhaps wanting to keep his side on their toes after the highs of Wednesday, Carrick made three changes to his side.
Paddy McNair came in for Dael Fry at the back, while there were first starts for Dan Barlaser and Aaron Ramsey who replaced Jonny Howson and Marcus Forss.
But Carrick’s pre-match prediction looked like it had some weight by half-time as Boro went off with the scores goalless and his side failing to register a single shot on target.
QPR’s Ilias Chair is always a lively player who seems to love a goal against the Boro.
For all he did buzz around in the first 45 minutes, Boro goalkeeper Zack Steffen had little work to do to keep his slate clean.
But at the other end, Boro were really struggling for the usual rhythm and precision in possession.
Some credit has to go to Neil Critchley’s side, who worked well off the ball to put pressure on the ball and rush Boro, while maintaining a solid and stubborn shape.
But that’s nothing new for Boro in recent weeks given teams are appreciative of the form they’re in under Carrick.
This time they were just struggling to build any momentum though, with their tempo just not quite there.
That was evident in the fact they had only one shot at goal, which was off-target, all half.
Akpom did have the ball in the back of the net again before the half-hour mark, but replays suggested he was just offside as Riley McGree slipped the ball inside to him.
The finish was instinctive into the bottom corner, but over his shoulder the linesman’s flag had already been raised.
There was a slight tweak from Carrick at the interval as McGree and Ramsey switched sides.
More importantly, Boro had far more intent from the start of the second half and were so unfortunate not to take the lead just five minutes after the restart.
Breaking from a QPR corner, Akpom slid it across to Archer who went one more to McGree as the Aussie broke into the penalty area.
Cutting across the edge, he beat his man for a dummy and then hit it with his weaker right foot.
He was denied by an excellent save from Dieng – his strong hand pushing the ball onto the post.
Boro had their tails up though and they started to finally get into some kind of a groove.
Archer had a couple of half-chances as his pace breaking the lines caused problems, while Akpom went so close as he latched onto an Archer ball in behind, only to be thwarted by Dieng’s smart diving block.
Boro have been denied a goal in just one of Carrick’s 16 games in charge prior to this game, so it would have been naive to write them off, however much it looked like it could be one of those days.
Another chance looked to be gone when Barlaser got his touch wrong as his corner was headed straight back to him.
Boro did well to keep possession though and while at times slightly off the pace, Barlaser showed what he can bring to this Boro side as he this time swung a peach of a cross in.
Who else but Akpom to get on the end of it with an excellent headed finish that moved him to 18 league goals for the season.
Akpom and Boro weren’t quite finished there though.
As Boro cleared their lines once more, Archer flicked wonderfully into Akpom’s feet and the striker opened his body before playing McGree in on goal with a lovely ball in behind.
As McGree broke into the box and cut back towards goal, Tim Iroegbunam committed himself to the sliding tackle, taking McGree’s standing leg.
With the penalty awarded by referee David Webb, nobody but Akpom was going to take it.
He actually missed the spot kick, but Dieng just couldn’t hold it.
He spilt it back into Akpom’s path and he was able to add his 19th league goal of the campaign – his 20th in all competitions.
Boro almost had a nervy finish to the game.
Ilias Chair tried the audacious and caught Steffen out with a free-kick in the 90th minute.
It was a long way out and so Steffen left his near post completely unguarded.
He couldn’t get back to stop it as Chair produced quite the finish to find the back of the net.
As the fourth official’s board went up to indicate six added minutes at that point it was by no means finished there.
It was moments later when Matt Crooks broke in behind and slid the ball across the face of the goal for McGree to seal the three points.
After a difficult first half, Boro were much improved after the break to get the job done.
Much more like it after the interval, this was a tenth win in 12 since the World Cup, and a sixth consecutive home league win.
Sadly, the late error denied them a fourth straight home league clean sheet.
Not to worry.
With Sheffield United’s earlier defeat at Millwall, the gap between Boro and second place is now just four points as belief continues to grow on Teesside.