The verdict after Middlesbrough’s 3-1 victory over Birmingham City at St Andrew’s
Matt Targett of Middlesbrough celebrates scoring(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
Middlesbrough passed a huge character test in the race for Championship promotion as they ended their winless run with a 3-1 victory at Birmingham City.
Only the second team to win at St Andrew’s this season, it was a former Aston Villa man in Matt Targett who was an unlikely hero for Boro. Operating as a wing-back, he netted twice in a solid first half.
Marvin Ducksch got the hosts off to the best possible start in the second half, before David Strelec came up with his biggest moment yet in a Boro shirt to restore his side’s two-goal cushion, effectively killing the game off and securing three huge points for second-placed Boro.
Kim Hellberg made two changes for the game, though it was the change in shape that was most surprising. Dael Fry and Strelec came back into the lineup at the expense of Alan Browne and Morgan Whittaker in a 3-5-2 formation.
After ten minutes it looked like it could be a long evening for Boro. Looking edgy and struggling to get to grips with the game, the home side swarmed them and kept them pinned in their own half.
Pressure appeared to be piling on Hellberg’s side before the game completely flipped in the blink of an eye in the 13th minute. Aidan Morris got a bit of space in the middle of the pitch, and spotted the run of Targett from a wide position.
It looked tight on the replay, but Targett was adjudged to have timed his run perfectly. And with one superb touch on his chest, he was in behind and set to calmly slot the ball past James Beadle to give Boro a lead against the run of play.
If ever a goal changed a game… Birmingham lost all composure after falling behind and the home fans, who’ve only seen their side lose once at St Andrew’s in the league before this, grew increasingly frustrated.
Their ire was directed largely at goalkeeper Beadle who, in trying to play out from the back, continued to put his side under pressure time and again.
Boro’s press was working effectively, with Tommy Conway and David Strelec applying the high pressure, with the midfield three offering support that meant Birmingham lost their early grip and kept presenting Boro with nearly moments.
In the 25th minute, it was the press that helped Boro double their lead. Conway forced the error, and though Hayden Hackney’s attempt to play the striker through was cut out, the ball fell back to him and he was able to slide it left to Targett who was unmarked again and once again able to place his effort well.
Solid at the back thanks to Hellberg’s switch to a three, Boro got through to the break largely unscathed thereafter.
Despite making no personnel changes, it was always expected that the hosts would come out strong for the second half. Boro needed to stay solid, but suffered the worst possible start to the second half.
Just three minutes after the restart, Jay Stansfield got in behind Adilson Malanda, who was enduring a horrific evening in the Midlands. The Birmingham striker centred for his strike partner Ducksch, who timed his arrival perfectly to fire beyond Brynn.
With their cushion back to just one goal, Boro faced the onslaught, with Birmingham tails up after first-half frustrations from the home fans. Brynn was forced to make a solid low save just moments later when Ducksch hit one from just outside the area.
Credit to Boro, just like the first half, they had to weather the storm before finding a way to get a goal and ease their troubles.
On 61 minutes, and with Morgan Whittaker on the touchline and waiting to replace him, Strelec enjoyed the big moment he’s been waiting for. Boro kept possession after their corner was cleared, eventually worked it out to Ayling, who swung in a delicious cross which Strelec finished wonderfully, in off the post after escaping his marker.
Almost a reverse of the Coventry City game a fortnight ago, Boro scored goals at important times in the game. Their third, despite coming with half an hour still to play, seemed to knock the wind out of the hosts, who didn’t ever look like getting back into it from there.
Another solid away performance from Boro, there were hairy moments at the start of both halves. But they showed character to come through both periods, and also to react in the right way after promotion rivals put the pressure on over the weekend by all recording wins.
Boro themselves put pressure back on their rivals, with Ipswich Town travelling to Hull City on Tuesday evening to play out one of their games in hand. More importantly, Boro ended their three-match winless run and moved four points clear of Millwall in third again.
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