CLOUD NINE

Akpom does it again for Boro MIDDLESBROUGH 3 HULL 1

CHUBA AKPOM blasted Middlesbrough to the brink of the play-offs and set a new record of scoring in nine consecutive Championship home games.

He helped blow Hull away as Michael Carrick’s hopefuls netted three goals in six minutes around the hour.

Akpom’s scoring streak at the Riverside has beaten Tammy Abraham’s home run of eight games with Aston Villa.

Hayden Hackney and Cameron Archer also netted to virtually guarantee a top-six finish.

Buoyed by their 5-1 win against Norwich last time out, Boro were expecting to bolster their promotion hopes but fell behind in the first half.

Hull striker Allahyar Sayyadmanesh broke clear of Akpom and planted a header home from Adama Traore’s corner. The Iranian international failed to score in his first 13 appearances but now has two in his last four games.

It took a tactical shake up and two substitutions to turn the game around for Boro after the break.

Carrick shook up his line-up at after a low-key 45 minutes. He brought on Isiah Jones and Anfernee Dijksteel and went 4-4-2 to match up Hull’s formation – and it worked a treat.

Jones had an immediate impact down the right, crossing for Hackney arriving late in the box. The Redcar lad has a growing reputation and the Scotland international stroked home from 12 yards in the 55th minute.

Then striker Archer got in on the fun and put Boro ahead as their confidence surged and the Riverside crowd turned up the volume.

The on-loan Aston Villa striker crashed home from a tight angle on the right for his ninth goal in 14 games for Boro. Keeper Zack Steffen provided the assist as Archer did the Tigers with his burning pace.

By the 61st minute Boro had three, with Hull reeling from the pressure. Akpom had been pushed up front in the tactical tweak and got his inevitable goal. He got the ball from sub Jones, controlled and lashed home before celebrating with the bench.

His statistics this season are top class, and he looks set to break 30 by the end of the campaign. He’s scored in eight of his last nine games.

Boro had been relatively poor in the first half. They lacked zip and did not put pressure on the Hull defence.

The visitors are safely midtable and are suffering from an eight-man injury crisis.

They had a good opening period, but missed chances. Dimitrious Pelkas worked an opening with Traore but put his shot tamely wide.