Millwall 2-0 Middlesbrough: Two Zian Flemming goals secure Lions win
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Dutchman Zian Flemming has scored four goals in the last four games for Millwall
Two Zian Flemming goals maintained Millwall's strong home form as managerless Middlesbrough's problems on the road continued.
Dutchman Flemming scored early in each half to wrap up a fifth home win in seven games at the New Den.
Middlesbrough had missed chances in the first half through Matt Crooks and Rodrigo Muniz as they slipped to a fourth straight away defeat.
It was a first loss for Boro under interim manager Leo Percovich after Chris Wilder was sacked on Monday, as they slipped back towards the bottom three.
Percovich had enjoyed an immediate bounce with the midweek victory over Birmingham, but they were behind after five minutes at The Den.
The playmaker had scored a spectacular equaliser on Wednesday in the draw at Rotherham but this one had more than a touch of fortune as his deflected free-kick gave Boro goalkeeper Zack Steffen no chance.
He was close to another, only for the Manchester City loanee to make a good save, while at the other end Crooks volleyed over when well-placed in the area and Muniz headed over when unmarked.
Yet Steffen's double save in first half injury time kept Boro in the game as he denied first Andreas Voglsammer and then Tom Bradshaw on the rebound.
However, that reprieve lasted until just four minutes into the second half as a set-piece did the job for Millwall.
Shaun Hutchinson launched a free-kick into the box, Jake Cooper knocked it down and Flemming slammed it home.
After 12 goals last season in the Eredivisie for Fortuna Sittard, this was a fourth goal in as many Championship games for the 24-year-old.
From there the Lions saw it out comfortably as they climbed to 13th, with Boro just one place above the bottom three in 21st.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett told BBC London:
"We had a bit of fortune with the first goal but we had enough moments where we could have gone in a couple of goals to the good. We could have been a bit better on the ball second half. but we were very solid defensively."
On Zian Flemming: "He's a player I have watched for about three years. I tried to sign him previously without any success but thankfully we got him this time around.
"To replace Jed Wallace, you need a real talent. Zian's done it regularly in the Eredivisie and my expectation is for him to at least get into double figures this season."
Middlesbrough interim manager Leo Percovich told BBC Radio Tees:
"When you come to Millwall, you watch so many videos about set-pieces. You know how strong they are and you know every ball they will try to put in your box, even from their own half.
"This is not the start of the season everybody expected, but I still believe this is the season. We have a little margin above the relegation zone that we need to keep but this is not our target, for sure. We need to keep climbing.
"We all dreamed of coming here to win but we need to go step by step."