Middlesbrough promoted to Premier League as it happened

Summary

Middlesbrough promoted to Premier League
Cristhian Stuani gives Boro the lead
Dale Stephens equalises but is then sent off
Brighton to face Sheff Wed in play-offs
Burnley beat Charlton to secure title

Live Reporting

Phil Cartwright and Francesca Williams

'The last thing Brighton wanted'published at 64 mins
Middlesbrough 1-1 Brighton
Terry Butcher
Ex-England captain at Riverside Stadium, Radio 5 live sports extra
"The ball bounced and Stephens came rushing over. He went for it very aggressively and, according to referee Mike Dean, recklessly.
"That's the last thing Brighton wanted, that kind of indiscipline. It's cost them a player and it might cost them promotion."
In the meantime, Gaston Ramirez is being taken off the field on a stretcher after several minutes of treatment. Stewart Downing, who was part of the Middlesbrough side relegated from the top flight in 2009, comes on.
Brighton make a change too - Steve Sidwell is on for Jamie Murphy.
Image source, Reuters
Get involvedpublished at 61 mins
#bbcfootball
Stephens sent off for Brightonpublished at 58 mins
Middlesbrough 1-1 Brighton
Image source, Reuters
Hero to villain in three minutes... referee Mike Dean sends off Brighton goalscorer Dale Stephens for a tackle on Gaston Ramirez.
The replay shows Stephens was going for the ball, but he was late, his studs were up and he caught Ramirez high on his shin.
More drama at the Riverside.
Ramirez can't continue and will be replaced by Stewart Downing.
Quote Message
Ramirez pulled his sock down and I think he's got a massive gash down it.
Warren Aspinall, Ex-Brighton striker on BBC Sussex
Get involvedpublished at 13:45
#bbcfootball
'Finally we have seen what Brighton can do!'published at 56 mins
Middlesbrough 1-1 Brighton
Terry Butcher
Ex-England captain at Riverside Stadium, Radio 5 live sports extra
"Two free-kicks, two goals - the story of this game so far. For the first time Brighton put a good ball into the box and Stephens' header back across the goal went in of its own accord.
"Finally we have seen what Brighton can do!"
GOAL - Middlesbrough 1-1 Brightonpublished at 55 mins
Dale Stephens
Image source, Reuters
Oh my word. It's on now! It's really on now!
Anthony Knockaert delivers a perfect free-kick on this occasion, and Dale Stephens rises highest at the back post to float a header over Dimi Konstantopoulos.
Brighton level. They still need one more goal to be promoted, a draw is still enough for Middlesbrough to finish in the top two.
Quote Message
It is back on for the Seagulls. Albion draw level and we are on for a tremendous closure to this game.
Johnny Cantor, BBC Sussex
Postpublished at 54 mins
Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Burnley's impending victory means the Championship title is out of reach for Middlesbrough and Brighton.
Who cares who finishes second? We all do. Especially when it's worth £170m and a place in the Premier League...
GOAL - Charlton 0-3 Burnleypublished at 13:39
Andre Gray
Title secured? Andre Gray, the Championship's top scorer this season, slots the ball under Charlton keeper Nick Pope to put Burnley three goals up.
It's the former Brentford striker's 25th goal of the campaign, 23 of them coming for Burnley.
Moments later, there's a brief stoppage in play as a smoke bomb is thrown onto the field.
Postpublished at 52 mins
Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Brighton get a free-kick 30 yards from goal, just right of centre - perfect territory for Anthony Knockaert's left foot to weave some magic...
A set-piece move does not pay off. Knockaert receives the ball and, attempting a cross into the box, chips it straight out of play.
GOAL - Charlton 0-2 Burnleypublished at 13:36
George Boyd
Burnley take a huge stride towards the Championship title, as George Boyd volleys the Clarets into a two-goal lead at the Valley.
Stephen Ward was involved again down the left, his whipped cross finding Andre Gray to flick on for Boyd at the back post.
Postpublished at 49 mins
Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Middlesbrough defended with consummate ease in the first period. A Brighton goal early in the second half would change everything - it would shred the nerves of the fans in the home sections of the Riverside crowd and surely add some doubts into the Boro players' minds.
No significant alarms for the hosts in the first four minutes after half-time.
KICK-OFFpublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
We're under way in the second half at the Riverside Stadium, and 45 minutes away from finding out whether it will be Middlesbrough or Brighton joining champions-elect Burnley in the Premier League next season.
SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 13:32 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Brighton need two goals to be promoted and make a half-time change. James Wilson is on up front in place of Sam Baldock.
Championship table as it standspublished at 13:31 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Image source, .
If the current scores stay this way at full-time, this would be the outcome...
Champions: Burnley
Promoted: Middlesbrough
Play-off semi-finals: Brighton & Hove Albion v Sheffield Wednesday, Hull City v Derby County
Will Middlesbrough make it to the promised land?published at 13:29 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Colin George
Reporting from The Riverside Stadium
Well well well. It's only football that can give you an experience that's simultaneously completely comfortable and yet totally on a knife edge.
Middlesbrough lead 1-0 at the break, have had all the real chances and could be 4-0 up.
But they ain't.
Forty-five minutes now separates them from the Premier League. Can they do it?
Get involvedpublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
#bbcfootball
We've had some more tweets from fans following the game around the world. We'd love to know your thoughts on the match, wherever you may be. Keep sending them to us using #bbcfootball.
The Riverside in party modepublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Matt Newsum
BBC Sport at the Riverside Stadium
Image source, Getty Images
"You don't need binoculars to see there are a few glum faces in that away section right now.
"They had a perfect side-on view of that goal Cristhian Stuani goal. Must be heartbreaking.
"Meanwhile, the rest of the Riverside Stadium is in party mode."
Championship round-uppublished at 13:21
The best of the first-half action has been at Hull, where Steve Bruce's play-off bound Tigers lead Rotherham 4-1 at the break.
Wolves, who had been involved in four consecutive 0-0 draws at home before today, lead 2-0 against Sheffield Wednesday thanks to Michael Turner's own goal and George Saville's right-footed shot.
Elsewhere, Anthony Pilkington has equalised for Cardiff against Birmingham, while David McGoldrick's penalty has put Ipswich 1-0 up at Derby at half-time.
'Boro should already have put this game to bed'published at 13:21 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Terry Butcher
Ex-England captain at Riverside Stadium, Radio 5 live sports extra
"Brighton have huffed and puffed but any attempt to get through this tough Middlesbrough rearguard has been dismissed quite contemptuously.
"However, at the other end of the pitch it's been one-way traffic. The game has been all Boro and, honestly, they should already have put this game to bed.
"Brighton have to go for it, they have to score, and they have to play better. Whenever I have seen Brighton this season they have been better than this - maybe it's nerves.
"The next half will be the most important 45 minutes of the season for both sides."
Image source, Getty Images
Postpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 7 May 2016
HT: Middlesbrough 1-0 Brighton
Neil Maddison
Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Tees
Quote Message
Brighton look really threatening at times but they're leaving gaps at the back. We need to exploit it. Give Cristhian Stuani the ball, he'll hurt this team.