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Championship roundup: Middlesbrough climb to 3rd as rivals play in FA Cup

Will Matthews - PA Images / PA Images / Getty

London, Jan 28, 2023 (AFP) - Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough leapfrogged Watford to move into third place in the English Championship as they claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over the Hornets at the Riverside on Saturday.

Just three games took place in the English second tier because a number of teams, including leaders Burnley, were in action in the FA Cup fourth round.

First-half goals from Chuba Akpom and Marcus Forss enabled Middlesbrough to bounce back in impressive fashion following last weekend's defeat by Sunderland.

Carrick's side were dominant throughout, with January signing Cameron Archer impressing as he made his first start for the club.

Akpom, the Championship's leading scorer, headed home his 14th league goal of the campaign in the 36th minute, just reward for their dominance, and Middlesbrough added a second on the stroke of half-time.

Jonny Howson picked out Forss with a perfectly weighted through ball and, after darting across the face of the area, the Finnish forward slotted a clinical strike into the bottom right-hand corner.

Watford boss Slaven Bilic made three half-time changes and the visitors improved slightly but could not find a way back into the match.

Coventry beat relegation-threatened Huddersfield 2-0 thanks to goals from Gustavo Hamer and Kasey Palmer.

Aaron Connolly scored twice on his 23rd birthday in Hull's 3-0 victory against QPR to help end their wait of nearly four months for a home win .

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