Middlesbrough beat Blackpool to maintain the pressure on Cardiff and Hull at the top of the Championship.

Ishmael Miller's header from a corner and Richard Smallwood's confident finish from the edge of the box gave the hosts a 2-0 half-time lead.

Wes Thomas squeezed a shot inside the near post to pull one back but Scott McDonald drilled in Boro's third.

Chris Basham made it 3-2 but Tom Ince had a penalty saved by Luke Steele before Adam Reach sealed the victory.

The win was Boro's first over Blackpool for 39 years and kept them within a point of the automatic promotion places.

Tony Mowbray's side were looking for their fourth successive home win and caused the visitors problems from the off.

Pools goalkeeper Matt Gilks was struggling to cope with early corners and opted stay on his line on 14 minutes, giving Miller time and space to head into the bottom corner.

Did you know?

It was the first time Boro have scored more than three goals at the Riverside in 101 league games.

The striker's goal ensured Boro have scored in all 12 of their home games this season.

Smallwood, who came through the ranks at the Riverside, doubled the lead just before the break with his third senior goal.

Thomas pulled a goal back for the visitors but the two-goal cushion was restored three-minutes later when Blackpool were caught in possession and McDonald raced forward before calmly beating Gilks.

Basham reduced the arrears again for the visitors, who could have then been level when they were awarded a penalty, with nine minutes to go.

Jonathan Woodgate was penalised for bringing down Ludovic Sylvestre but Ince failed to convert from the spot, with Steele guessing the right way to make the save.

They were made to pay when substitute Reach made it 4-2 with his second goal of the season two minutes from time.

Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray said: "I was pleased because in the first half we played some fabulous football. It was as good as we have played all season.

"We knew they would come at us in the second half because we couldn't keep that level of play up and they had to gamble a bit."

Blackpool boss Michael Appleton added: "It was disappointing for myself and the staff and more so for the players because they were well short of how they can play.

"When I took over people told me when Blackpool are good - very, very good - but when they are bad they are awful. I think in the first half I saw that bad side."

Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (5)

Middlesbrough

  • 01 Steele
  • 02 Hoyte (Parnaby - 21' )
  • 14 Williams
  • 39 Woodgate Booked
  • 07 Leadbitter
  • 10 Bailey
  • 18 Halliday
  • 33 Smallwood
  • 09 Emnes (Jutkiewicz - 82' )
  • 27 McDonald
  • 30 Miller (Reach - 65' )

Substitutes

  • 32 Leutwiler
  • 21 Parnaby
  • 25 Reach
  • 05 Zemmama
  • 08 Thomson
  • 17 Jutkiewicz
  • 22 Williams

Blackpool

  • 01 Gilks
  • 03 Crainey
  • 15 Baptiste
  • 17 Basham
  • 20 Cathcart
  • 42 Broadfoot
  • 08 Gomes (Sylvestre - 57' )
  • 11 Ince
  • 12 Taylor-Fletcher
  • 39 Thomas
  • 40 Delfouneso (Angel - 37' )

Substitutes

  • 21 Halstead
  • 05 Eardley
  • 33 Harris
  • 14 Sylvestre
  • 31 Angel
  • 09 K Phillips
  • 38 Dicko
Ref: Attwell
Att: 18,164

Match Stats

Shots

7 6

On target

4 3

Corners

13 10

Fouls

10 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:05 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.

90:00 +3:33

Inswinging corner taken by Thomas Ince, Chris Basham takes a shot. Jason Steele makes a save.

90:00 +2:38

Adam Reach decides to take the corner short. Adam Reach decides to take the corner short.

90:00 +2:07

Short corner taken by Adam Reach from the right by-line.

90:00 +1:30

Lukas Jutkiewicz is ruled offside. Matt Gilks restarts play with the free kick.

87:01

Assist by Lukas Jutkiewicz. Thomas Ince is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Jason Steele takes the indirect free kick.

87:01 Goal scored

Goal - Adam Reach - Middlesbro 4 - 2 Blackpool Adam Reach grabs a goal from just outside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 4-2 Blackpool.

85:51

Stephen Crainey takes a corner.

81:33

Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Cathcart on Jonathan Woodgate. Jason Steele restarts play with the free kick.

81:33 Substitution

Substitution Lukas Jutkiewicz comes on in place of Marvin Emnes.

81:33 Penalty

A save by Jason Steele from penalty by Thomas Ince. Middlesbrough 3-2 Blackpool.

79:31

Jonathan Woodgate challenges Ludovic Sylvestre unfairly and gives away a Penalty. Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Stephen Crainey.

82:36

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kirk Broadfoot on Lukas Jutkiewicz. Grant Leadbitter takes the free kick.

81:38

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Woodgate by Craig Cathcart. Indirect free kick taken by Jason Steele.

81:38 Substitution

Substitution Marvin Emnes goes off and Lukas Jutkiewicz comes on.

81:38 Penalty

Placed penalty taken by Thomas Ince saved by Jason Steele. Middlesbrough 3-2 Blackpool.

79:31

Jonathan Woodgate gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Ludovic Sylvestre. Corner from left by-line taken by Stephen Crainey.

79:31 Booking

Booking The referee shows Jonathan Woodgate a yellow card.

77:31

Wes Thomas is ruled offside. Jason Steele restarts play with the free kick.

75:17

The assist for the goal came from Stephen Crainey. Free kick awarded for a foul by Thomas Ince on Andrew Halliday. Direct free kick taken by Grant Leadbitter.

75:17 Goal scored

Goal - Chris Basham - Middlesbro 3 - 2 Blackpool Chris Basham grabs a goal from inside the penalty area to the top left corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 3-2 Blackpool.

74:54

Corner taken by Stephen Crainey,

73:53

Foul by Nicky Bailey on Thomas Ince, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Crainey.

73:26

The ball is crossed by Adam Reach, Kirk Broadfoot manages to make a clearance.

72:45

The ball is swung over by Ludovic Sylvestre, Jason Steele makes a save.

72:15

Unfair challenge on Scott McDonald by Alex Baptiste results in a free kick. Grant Leadbitter restarts play with the free kick.

71:19

Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Scott McDonald goes wide of the right-hand upright.

68:08

Stuart Parnaby concedes a free kick for a foul on Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Stephen Crainey restarts play with the free kick.

66:43

Corner taken by Stephen Crainey from the right by-line.

64:13 Substitution

Substitution (Middlesbrough) makes a substitution, with Adam Reach coming on for Ishmael Miller.

63:23

Chris Basham has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.

61:42 Goal scored

Goal - Scott McDonald - Middlesbro 3 - 1 Blackpool Scott McDonald gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 3-1 Blackpool.

61:13

The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Rhys Williams.

60:41

A cross is delivered by Andrew Halliday, clearance by Craig Cathcart.

59:42

Stuart Parnaby sends in a cross, Matt Gilks makes a save.

58:39

Assist on the goal came from Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

58:39 Goal scored

Goal - Wes Thomas - Middlesbro 2 - 1 Blackpool A goal is scored by Wes Thomas from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 2-1 Blackpool.

56:58 Substitution

Substitution Ludovic Sylvestre joins the action as a substitute, replacing Tiago Gomes.

53:49

Free kick awarded for a foul by Ishmael Miller on Chris Basham. Matt Gilks takes the indirect free kick.

52:20

Thomas Ince decides to take a short corner.

52:20

Corner taken right-footed by Thomas Ince.

50:42

A cross is delivered by Andrew Halliday, clearance by Stephen Crainey.

48:52

Centre by Chris Basham.

48:52

A cross is delivered by Chris Basham.

47:59

Corner from the left by-line taken by Grant Leadbitter, save by Matt Gilks.

47:14

Ishmael Miller crosses the ball, Matt Gilks makes a save. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Grant Leadbitter, clearance by Kirk Broadfoot.

45:01

The second half has started.

45:00 +3:13 Half time

Half Time The match has reached half-time.

45:00 +2:43

Andrew Halliday crosses the ball, clearance by Kirk Broadfoot.

45:00 +1:31

Ishmael Miller challenges Craig Cathcart unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Craig Cathcart.

45:00 +0:59

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kirk Broadfoot on Scott McDonald. Jason Steele takes the free kick.

45:00 +0:30

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Stephen Crainey, clearance by Andrew Halliday.

43:51

Free kick awarded for a foul by Ishmael Miller on Stephen Crainey. Stephen Crainey takes the free kick.

41:46

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Thomas Ince by Rhys Williams. Alex Baptiste takes the indirect free kick.

41:04

A cross is delivered by Marvin Emnes, clearance made by Kirk Broadfoot.

38:39

Stephen Crainey fouled by Ishmael Miller, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Matt Gilks.

37:23

Kirk Broadfoot concedes a free kick for a foul on Marvin Emnes. Indirect free kick taken by Jason Steele.

35:15 Substitution

Substitution (Blackpool) makes a substitution, with Angel Martinez coming on for Nathan Delfouneso.

35:15

Marvin Emnes provided the assist for the goal.

35:15 Goal scored

Goal - Richard Smallwood - Middlesbro 2 - 0 Blackpool Richard Smallwood scores a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 2-0 Blackpool.

32:30

A cross is delivered by Stephen Crainey.

29:02

A cross is delivered by Stephen Crainey.

28:05

The official flags Stuart Parnaby offside. Matt Gilks takes the free kick.

24:27

Outswinging corner taken by Stephen Crainey, Rhys Williams manages to make a clearance. Thomas Ince produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

23:45

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Wes Thomas by Andrew Halliday. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Crainey.

20:42 Substitution

Substitution Stuart Parnaby is brought on as a substitute for Justin Hoyte.

17:46

Corner taken by Stephen Crainey.

17:08

Ishmael Miller has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

16:06

Corner taken right-footed by Grant Leadbitter from the left by-line, Matt Gilks makes a save.

13:44

Assist on the goal came from Grant Leadbitter.

13:44 Goal scored

Goal - Ishmael Miller - Middlesbro 1 - 0 Blackpool Ishmael Miller scores a headed goal from close range. Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackpool.

13:23

Grant Leadbitter takes the inswinging corner,

11:51

Jonathan Woodgate takes a shot. Outswinging corner taken by Stephen Crainey from the left by-line, Andrew Halliday manages to make a clearance. Gary Taylor-Fletcher takes a shot.

10:49

Corner taken by Grant Leadbitter from the left by-line, Matt Gilks makes a save.

9:59

Ishmael Miller delivers the ball, save by Matt Gilks.

6:52

Corner taken by Grant Leadbitter. Foul by Nicky Bailey on Chris Basham, free kick awarded. Matt Gilks takes the free kick.

6:19

Corner taken by Grant Leadbitter from the right by-line to the near post, Gary Taylor-Fletcher manages to make a clearance.

6:19

Corner taken right-footed by Grant Leadbitter from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

4:27

Corner taken by Grant Leadbitter from the left by-line, save by Matt Gilks. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Grant Leadbitter from the right by-line.

1:44

A cross is delivered by Ishmael Miller, Craig Cathcart manages to make a clearance. Grant Leadbitter takes a inswinging corner.

0:00

The referee gets the game underway.

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