Charlton close in on safety by hurting Middlesbrough promotion bid at Riverside

Charlton continued their push for Sky Bet Championship safety with a 1-0 win over promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

A frustrating first half saw Boro control proceedings and their best opportunity arose just after the half-hour mark when Aidan Morris’ strike was pushed onto the crossbar by Will Mannion.

Although the Teessiders enjoyed plenty of chances, it was the Addicks who found the only goal of the game in the 59th minute when Conor Coady stabbed home from Harry Clarke’s long throw-in.

Victory moves Charlton nine points clear of the relegation zone and puts a dent in Boro’s bid for automatic promotion as they slumped to an eighth league defeat of the season.

The hosts threatened in the opening moments when Matt Targett hooked a cross into Hayden Hackney, who had successive shots blocked. Boro recycled the ball to Morgan Whittaker, with his low strike whistling past the far post.

Sonny Carey’s deep free-kick into the box was comfortably cleared and the Addicks began to grow in confidence, with a ball intended for Miles Leaburn scooped up by Sol Brynn.

However, Boro remained in control and had another excellent opportunity when an intricate move on the right allowed David Strelec to hit a pass across the six-yard area into Targett at the far post, but he skewed his strike wide.

Strelec had an effort brilliantly blocked by Coady and Callum Brittain’s shot was held by Mannion, but Charlton had a chance after Carey broke down the field and laid the ball into Charlie Kelman, where his effort was stopped by Adilson Malanda.

The Addicks threatened again with another break down the right from Clarke and Kelman latched onto his pass across the box, forcing Brynn into a save at a post.

Boro almost opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Riley McGree picked out Morris in the middle of the box but the midfielder’s strike was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Mannion.

Whittaker had a strike from outside of the area pushed behind by Mannion just before the break and had a tame effort collected by the Charlton goalkeeper early in the second half.

Malanda stabbed wide from Brittain’s curling free-kick into the area, but the hosts continued to be frustrated in their attempts to break into the Charlton box.

The visitors went ahead in the 59th minute when Clarke’s long throw-in evaded everyone in the box to reach Coady, who stuck a foot out to poke the ball home.

Boro searched for a response and Leo Castledine nodded the ball over the bar from Morris’ cross.

Tommy Conway hacked an effort over from a corner delivery and Hackney’s strike was blocked behind by Greg Docherty, with the resulting corner looped over by Castledine.

Castledine then forced a save from Mannion in the final 10 minutes and Boro trio Morris, Hackney and Ayling were all denied by the Charlton defence, who held on to clinch three points.