Middlesbrough 3-1 QPR: Chuba Akpom double helps Boro to victory

Chuba Akpom took his tally for the season to 19 in the Championship

Middlesbrough maintained their superb promotion push under Michael Carrick, beating struggling Queens Park Rangers to move within four points of the top two.

This victory made it 40 points from a possible 51 for the former Manchester United midfielder since his mid-season appointment to succeed Chris Wilder.

Having been frustrated by Rangers in a first half in which they scarcely had a shot on target, Boro eventually put keeper Seny Dieng under pressure, with Riley McGree's shot touched onto the post early in the second period.

Championship top scorer Chuba Akpom did end Rangers' resistance eventually, connecting with a superb Dan Barlaser cross with a perfect header steered away from Dieng.

Ilias Chair flashed a shot wide in one of the few Rangers chances after half-time, and Boro made sure of the points when McGree was brought down in the box by Kenneth Paal, and Akpom lashed in on the rebound.

Chair's cheeky free-kick caught out Zach Steffen to make stoppage time interesting, but McGree smashed in a back-post third to quell any home fears.

Rangers, whose boss Neil Critchley has now won just one of his 12 games in all competitions since his December appointment, were dogged throughout.

However, the absence of Chris Willock, Lyndon Dykes and Tyler Roberts have left them short of punch up front, and they failed to take advantage of their first-half openings.

Chair's late free-kick was a slight glimmer of hope, but with players pushed forward, their optimism was short-lived as Boro replied almost immediately.

Boro had few chances thanks to the positive approach of the visitors, but stepped up after the break to give Dieng plenty of problems.

He saved bravely from Akpom but could do nothing about the header which was powered past him, and then saved from the spot before the rebound was thrashed past him.

Boro put the seal on it when McGree fired home at the back post from Matt Crooks' perfect square ball.

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick told BBC Tees:

"I knew with the week we've had and the high of Wednesday night (beating Sheffield United) that it's not always easy to just get back into your flow so quickly. Football's not like that.

"First half was a bit sticky and it didn't quite work for us. Second half, I just felt there was a sense the boys were back to where they had been, so I was delighted with coming through that and showing the patience."

QPR boss Neil Critchley:

"I was really pleased with our first-half performance. I thought we were excellent and frustrated them.

"We weren't nervous or tentative and we won the ball several times in good positions high up the pitch.

"They started to get a bit of success and, the way it's going for us at the moment, when the opposition are having those moments we can't grind it out and it see it out and stay at 0-0."