Middlesbrough brush off Rob Edwards distraction to beat Birmingham and go second

Middlesbrough put talk of head coach Rob Edwards joining Wolves to one side by beating Birmingham 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium.

The Boro fans made their feelings known about Edwards’ pending Molineux switch throughout the 90 minutes, while the players on the pitch did what was required to move back into the Championship’s top two.

Even though Teessider Dael Fry’s 17th-minute volley was cancelled out by Demarai Gray’s close-range strike 12 minutes later, Middlesbrough found a way to respond with a winner.

Hayden Hackney cleverly flicked Aidan Morris’ long-range effort into the net in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time as Boro’s stand-in management team of Adi Viveash, Harry Watling and Craig Liddle oversaw an important victory.

That trio were asked to lead the side after Edwards was given permission to speak to Premier League strugglers Wolves.

Middlesbrough fans were quick to display what they thought about Edwards’ decision less than six months into his three-year deal at the Riverside.

One of three banners displaying the message ‘fans deserve to see people who really want to be here’ was hung in the South Stand moments before derogatory chants mentioning Edwards belted around the stadium.

Middlesbrough’s players had to focus on the action, which saw Birmingham soon lose Paik Seung-Ho with what appeared to be a shoulder injury inside four minutes.

The hosts took the lead when Tommy Conway had forced a save out of James Beadle initially and moments later Fry’s volley from Callum Brittain’s corner bounced off the surface and found the net.

Fry hobbled off soon after when he was replaced by Sam Silvera and the substitute was soon involved in the equaliser.

Before that Patrick Roberts’ back post volley, when he was picked out by Alex Cochrane’s delightful cross, was denied by Sol Brynn and then the goal arrived from the corner.

Silvera appeared to move forward when Gray’s hands were on his back in the area as the ball was floated over, but the Birmingham winger made the most of the opportunity to level. Appeals for a shove were waved away by referee Sam Allison.

But Middlesbrough got their rewards in the fifth minute of added time.

Morris’ effort towards goal from distance was brilliantly flicked on by Hackney and that completely wrong-footed Beadle as the ball rolled into his net.

After the break Jay Stansfield wasted a fantastic chance to level. He had done well to break down the left after beating Luke Ayling to the ball, but his effort rolled into the arms of Brynn.

Birmingham, who had to be aware of Middlesbrough’s counters, spent much of the second half pressing.

Roberts was denied again by Brynn when he was left unmarked at the back post.

With no breakthrough, tensions boiled over in the dying stages when Birmingham goalkeeper Beadle went up for a corner and raised an arm to Ayling in the box. After things calmed down, the home side held on for three points.