Middlesbrough regain second place in Championship promotion race

Middlesbrough moved back into second place in the Championship promotion race after a 2-1 win at Stoke on Wednesday.

Kim Hellberg's side had been knocked out of the second automatic promotion berth by Ipswich's 2-0 victory over Bristol City on Tuesday.

But Middlesbrough regained the initiative in the battle to reach the Premier League with a gritty success in the Potteries.

Tomas Rigo's first goal in 21 appearances put Stoke ahead in the first half before Alan Browne levelled three minutes after the interval.

Browne's superb cross teed up Tommy Conway's winner 11 minutes later and Stoke had Bosun Lawal sent off for a second booking in the closing stages.

Second-placed Middlesbrough's third successive league victory left them six points behind leaders Coventry and two ahead of third-placed Ipswich.

Southampton eased the mounting pressure on boss Tonda Eckert, ending a seven-match winless run with a 1-0 victory against Sheffield United at St Mary's.

Leo Scienza's deflected seventh-minute strike was the ideal preparation for Southampton's south-coast derby at arch rivals Portsmouth on Sunday.

Saints climbed one place to 15th position, while United remain 17th, four points above the relegation zone, after slipping to a third successive defeat.

Portsmouth moved out of the bottom three after a 1-1 draw against Watford, whose hopes of regaining a play-off place were thwarted at Vicarage Road.

Adrian Segecic put Portsmouth ahead in the 73rd minute before Watford levelled through substitute Mamadou Doumbia six minutes later.

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