Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg surprised by Matt Targett’s double at Birmingham

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg admitted Matt Targett’s brace “was not in the plans” after his side earned a 3-1 victory over Birmingham at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.

The visitors weathered an early Blues storm to break the deadlock courtesy of Targett’s 13th-minute strike and the full-back soon doubled his tally to give Boro a deserved 2-0 lead at the break.

Marvin Ducksch halved the deficit with his ninth goal of the season at the start of the second period, but David Strelec snuffed out any hopes of a comeback and restored Boro’s two-goal advantage on the hour mark.

Hellberg switched his formation from a back four to three centre-halves, which allowed Targett to start higher up the pitch, but Hellberg did not expect the defender to get on the scoresheet.

He said: “The big difference was the defensive shape. Sometimes you get those things right, sometimes wrong. To guess Matt was going to score two goals from that position was not in the plans.

“But he did brilliantly, he deserved it. I’m very happy for him (Targett), he’s such a good guy. He’s been playing through pain, all sorts of things in different periods. He’s always got a smile on his face and been absolutely brilliant.

“Of course, it was connected with how we wanted to press them, and that showed how good they are in adapting to different game plans.”

The result increased their cushion to third-placed Millwall to four points, which boosts their hopes of automatic promotion while also snapping a three-game winless run.

He added: “It was a good day. There will be pressure all the time.

“Now the form has changed because we have seven wins, two draws and a loss, strongest in the league so that’s how quick it can change. We win, we lose, we work the same way.

“One loss in two years at this place for Birmingham and a Premier League team (drew) here two weeks ago (Leeds in the FA Cup). They are a very good side and how we handled this game apart from the first 10 minutes feels brilliant.”

Birmingham lost at home for the first time since a 3-2 defeat to Hull in October, which leaves them eight points adrift of the play-offs places.

Blues boss Chris Davies admitted it will take “something special” for his side to earn a top-six finish.

He said: “It was a really disappointing evening for us, we haven’t had too many like that since I’ve been here but that was one of them.

“To go and say we going to get into the play-offs we need something special now, in terms of a run of form and a points return.

“We are capable but it’s game by game. We can see where we are at the international break. Tonight felt like an opportunity against one of the top teams to make a statement and get a win, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.”