David Nugent netted in the 91st minute as Middlesbrough overcame promotion rivals Hull City in the Championship on Friday night.
Aitor Karanka was back in the dugout for Middlesbrough following much speculation surrounding his future, but it did appear that the Spaniard would be frustrated following a tight 90 minutes at the Riverside.
Nugent had other ideas, however, as the striker came off the bench to secure a vital win and move his side to within four points of league leaders Burnley, who face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
An end-to-end opening 15 minutes saw both teams threaten in the final third, with Gaston Ramirez causing Hull problems and Mohamed Diame and Robert Snodgrass both hitting long-range strikes wide of the Middlesbrough post.
Christian Stuani had Middlesbrough's best chance of the first half, but his header from a wide angle was cleared off the line by Andrew Robertson. Snodgrass might have sent Hull ahead 10 minutes before the break when he met a low cross from Sam Clucas, but the Scottish international's effort hit the side-netting as the Tigers made use of their counter-attacking threat.
Sone Aluko tried his luck from a wide position just before the hour as Hull came close to an opener, but the striker's effort was tipped over by the home side's goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Down the other end, Stuani delivered a low cross into Jordan Rhodes as both teams pressed players forward, but the former Blackburn Rovers forward, who continues to struggle with his new club, could not register under pressure from Michael Dawson.
Two Hull substitutes - Abel Hernandez and Ahmed Elmohamady - combined in the 82nd minute as the visitors created the best chance of the match, but the latter volleyed over from close range.
The home side found a winner in the first minute of stoppage time, however, when Nugent headed an Albert Admoah cross into the bottom corner, which brought an emotional reaction from the returning Karanka.
Matt Law
