Teessiders give and strike into

MIDDLESBROUGH began their Championship run-in with a bang as they brushed aside relegation-bound Peterborough 4-0 to climb into the play-off places.

Marcus Tavernier’s first-half opener set Chris Wilder’s men on their way to a second consecutive away win before Folarin Balogun doubled the lead soon after the break.

Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore then jumped off the bench with goals to join the party as Boro moved into the top six in style.

Two teams with very different objectives, but a shared requirement for victory, served up a terrific opening period and the only surprise was it produced just one goal.

That breakthrough went the way of Boro as Tavernier steered a fine strike from the edge of the box past Dai Cornell in the 26th minute.

His third goal of the season arrived after

Paddy Mcnair laid the ball perfectly into his path.

Defender Mcnair had been Boro’s saviour at the other end moments earlier when racing back to clear an ambitious 50-yard strike from Jack Marriott after keeper Joe Lumley’s dash out of his area backfired.

Lumley redeemed himself with a reaction save from debutant Posh defender Emmanuel Fernandez – a 20-year-old former non-league player – and the Boro numdenied ber one also Jonson Clarkeharris from pointblank range on the stroke of the interval.

By then Balogun should have doubled the visitors’ advantage when seeing a shot cleared off the line by defender Josh Knight.

That was a second crucial contribution from Knight, who had thrown himself in the way of a goalbound Matt Crooks shot when the contest was still deadlocked.

But Middlesbrough – and indeed Balogun – didn’t have to wait too long to strike again as their second goal arrived only four minutes into the second half when the England Under-21 ace pounced at the back post.

A third goal in his last four Championship outings – following a midweek brace on international duty – provided another example of Balogun’s predatory instincts and highlighted the flaws of the worst