Middlesbrough have returned to the top of the Championship table with a 4-1 win over fellow promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town at the Riverside this afternoon.
The home side took the lead less than five minutes into the match as Adam Clayton crossed the ball in following a short corner, setting up Dani Ayala to head it in from close range.
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Ipswich keeper Dean Gerken was injured while trying to clear the Clayton delivery, accidentally clashing with a teammate as he rushed off his line, forcing him off just a few minutes into the match.
The visitors soon got themselves back on level terms though as Dimitrios Konstantopoulos could only parry a Jonathan Parr effort into the path of Daryl Murphy, leaving him with a simple tap-in for his 23rd goal of the season.
Mick McCarthy's side looked the more likely as the half-hour marked approached, but it was the home side who retook the lead 30 minutes in as Ipswich failed to clear a corner, allowing Albert Adomah to blast it into the bottom corner.
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Patrick Bamford came close to making it three as he burst into the box shortly before half time, but he lost his footing before the break, failing to capitalise on the opportunity.
After a cagey start to the second half, Aitor Karanka's men managed to increase their advantage when Jelle Vossen flicked the ball in for Bamford, who rounded the keeper before slotting it into the open net.
Boro continued to dominate the possession, although chances remained few and far between as Clayton fired a shot well high, while Adomah's run forward was halted.
Bamford added his second of the day with 10 minutes to go when he got the better of Tommy Smith before squeezing the ball beneath the keeper.
The striker could have completed his hat-trick with just a few minutes remaining when Adomah pulled the ball back to him, but he hurried his shot, blasting it well high of the crossbar.
The result moves Boro back above Bournemouth at the top of the table, while Ipswich sit seventh, just outside the playoff places.
Sian Cowper
