Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray has admitted that his side must take points off the teams around them if they are to make the Championship playoffs.

Boro are seven points off sixth position with just five games remaining, but Mowbray has encouraged his team to continue to fight for promotion.

The 49-year-old told BBC Tees: "The fact is, it's important that with the teams we play, we can affect the teams above us. Our job, in my mind, is to try to win those games and make things exciting at the end of the season."

"We're playing two teams at home here with huge expectations of reaching the playoffs and I genuinely feel we can nick points off both of them.

"Especially Forest, they go to Cardiff at the weekend, and if they lose there and lose to us, we'll be there with them, so let's not give up hope yet."

Middlesbrough host promotion rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.