Birmingham City 0-1 Middlesbrough

Patrick Bamford has scored seven goals in four games, having scored three in his previous 29 Middlesbrough matches this season

Garry Monk's first game as Birmingham City boss ended in defeat by his former club Middlesbrough at St Andrew's.

The hosts started brightly, with Craig Gardner and Maikel Kieftenbeld forcing saves from Boro keeper Darren Randolph.

But Blues fell behind when Patrick Bamford turned in Adama Traore's inswinging delivery from the left.

Sam Gallagher was unable to convert the hosts' best two chances after the break, firing wide from a tight angle before heading off target late on.

Monk, who won 12 of his 26 games in charge at the Riverside before being sacked in December, was assisted by Pep Clotet after former Blues assistant Lee Carsley left the club earlier on Tuesday.

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Blues matched their opponents for much of the game, but their struggles in front of goal continued, as they were unable to add to their league-worst tally of 23 goals this season.

Birmingham have lost six successive games and are two points adrift of safety in 22nd place with 10 games left to play.

Victory for Middlesbrough lifted them back into the play-off places, one point ahead of seventh-placed Bristol City.

Tony Pulis' side have lost only once in their past six matches, helped by Bamford's spectacular run of form, the former Chelsea striker having scored seven goals in his past four appearances.

Birmingham boss Garry Monk told BBC WM:

"I thought it was a tight game, I thought we limited their threats very well, so from a defensive point of we were very, very good.

"When the goal went in I was very pleased with the commitment, the attitude and the passion the players showed today along with a passionate crowd.

"In the second half we really dominated, we dominated the whole second half. We really tried to force the equaliser, it didn't quite happen but I saw a lot of things that I'm very pleased with."

Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis told BBC Tees:

"I thought in the first half we were good, we played some good football at times and got into some really good positions.

"In the second half, for whatever reason, we sat back a bit more and the game became scrappy which didn't suit us.

"It was a tough game today because it was [Garry] Monk's first game, it's a bounce game. When a new manager comes in you usually get a bounce effect.

"It gives all their players a lift, it's a new manager, the players step up to it, the crowd are behind them so it's difficult circumstances but the lads coped really well."