Tommy Conway scores Middlesbrough's opener against QPR
Middlesbrough narrowed the gap to the play-off positions with a hard-fought but ultimately deserved 2-1 victory over out-of-form Queens Park Rangers at the Riverside Stadium.
Tommy Conway's first-half opener and Anfernee Dijksteel's individual effort just short of the hour mark had settled nerves which threatened to return to the Riverside after a recent revival hit the buffers with defeat against Swansea at the weekend.
With Steve Cook pulling one back late on and QPR threatening a comeback, the hosts were made to sweat for the win.
Victory moves Boro back into eighth place, just three points adrift of Coventry in the final play-off position.
For Marti Cifuentes' Hoops, who drop a place to 15th in the table, the trip back home will give time to ponder concerns about their own faltering form given this was a seventh defeat in their past nine.
Boro had gone five games without a point from late January into February yet had arrested their poor form with two wins in a row before losing at Swansea on Saturday.
It was no surprise therefore that Conway's opener on 11 minutes, turning in Finn Azaz's low centre from the left byeline, was met with a huge outpouring of relief from the home support.
Boro might well have doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, Delano Burgzorg blazing over from a decent position when he should have hit the target.
With the hosts pressing for a second, Hayden Hackney forced a fine save with a shot from outside the box and Conway might have added to their first-half advantage only for his shot to be blocked.
QPR could - and should - have made them pay for their profligacy, Kenny Paal missing a golden chance to pull them level when blazing over from 13 yards after a lovely through ball from Yang Min-hyeok.
If Michael Carrick's side had to take comfort from a slender lead at half-time, they strengthened their position just short of the hour mark when Dijksteel wriggled his way across the edge of the box and fired home a left-foot shot low inside the far post.
But it was not to be plain sailing to the finish for the hosts.
Cook's stabbed effort after a corner from the left on 80 minutes brought QPR back into the game and, with the Hoops throwing everything at their hosts, goalkeeper Paul Nardi very nearly bagged a point.
With the five minutes of stoppage time up, a flick-on from a long throw on the left found its way to his head.
But the goalkeeper could only plant his header into the grateful gloves of his opposite number Mark Travers, and Boro held on for the win.
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick:
"They're still there [in the play-off race]. We've got to obviously keep that opportunity alive. Listen, it's so close and Saturday's another important game.
"We're going to be saying that now until the end of the season. There are probably going to be twists and turns and we've just got to keep plugging away.
"We're still in it, we've got a chance – we've got a great chance, actually – and let's just see what happens."
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio London:
"We are sad and angry because we play against a good team. They have quality especially in the midfield to break lines but it was a game with good moments for both teams.
"I am not especially happy with the way we conceded these two goals but at the same time credit to the players we are trying despite adversity they are running and competing but credit to Boro they were good.
"It is a difficult time because we lost four in a row but I'm so proud of the the reality of where we are in the league. It is tough but we need to understand where we are.
"[Ilias Chair] he felt his hamstring immediately and we have to do some tests and see what it is."
