Middlesbrough 4-1 Derby County: Play-off hopefuls Boro move into top six
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Matt Crooks has scored eight goals for Middlesbrough this season
Middlesbrough recorded their sixth successive home victory with a win against struggling Derby that moved them into the Championship play-off spots.
The home side took the lead when Isaiah Jones' low cross was turned into his own net by Lee Buchanan but Max Bird levelled with a crisp volley from distance after Boro failed to clear a set-piece.
Chris Wilder's men took the game away from the Rams with two quick-fire goals before the break from Aaron Connolly and Matt Crooks, with the in-form Jones instrumental in the creation of both.
Folarin Balogun teed up substitute Duncan Watmore to wrap up the points late on.
Administration-hit Derby remain second bottom but Reading's defeat at home to Coventry means they are still just four points adrift of safety.
The Rams may feel aggrieved Crooks was still on the pitch when he scored Boro's third goal of the afternoon after he was only shown a yellow card for a poor challenge on Bird.
The home side had much the better of it after the break and Derby goalkeeper Ryan Allsop made top saves to deny Balogun and Connolly before the former showed some lovely skill to set up Watmore to put the result beyond doubt.
Middlesbrough travel to Bristol City next Saturday while Wayne Rooney's side face a huge home game against fellow strugglers Peterborough.
A battle on the pitch after an agreement off it
The game had looked set to be played against a hostile backdrop until former Rams owner Mel Morris reached an accord with Boro owner Steve Gibson over the latter's compensation claim on Friday.
Boro had launched legal proceedings, claiming Derby's financial breaches cost them a play-off place in 2018-19.
But the clubs said in a statement that they had reached a "resolution" over the compensation claim.
Middlesbrough finished seventh three seasons ago, a point behind Derby, in a campaign where the Rams reached the Championship play-off final.
Morris, who still owns Pride Park but put Derby into administration in September, had invited Boro and Wycombe to take out their High Court compensation claims against him personally, instead of the club.
Rams boss Wayne Rooney welcomed the agreement, having described the legal wrangle as "the main stumbling block" in their ongoing search for new owners.
Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder:
"We got a bit sloppy and a bit loose after we went up in the game in terms of possession.
"They had a certain amount of possession as well but we settled down once we got our noses back in front and it was a great boost to go in at half-time 3-1 up.
"We kept moving it and yet again Isaiah Jones has found himself in a great position. We've managed to finish that off.
"As what happens, they open up and change their shape. They have to take big chances and it opens it up for us as well."
Derby manager Wayne Rooney:
"I thought it was quite an even game first half.
"I felt we had bits of control of it and we got the equaliser, and we were OK, and then we concede two sloppy goals, we need to look at.
"I take responsibility for the result because I tried something with Tom Lawrence and Luke Plange, to leave them high up the pitch and try and play a little bit on the counter attack, and that didn't pay off. I take full responsibility for that."