Middlesbrough stay in the play-off hunt after a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest
Last Updated: April 16, 2013 10:27pm
Mustapha Carayol: Scored the only goal in Middlesbrough's win
Mustapha Carayol kept alive Middlesbrough's slim hopes of booking a Championship play-off place by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win against Nottingham Forest.
It was an uninspiring start to an ill-tempered half, with the home fans getting on their players' backs from as early as the first minute as Sammy Ameobi lost possession in the centre to let Lewis McGugan shoot just wide.
Jason Steele inspired cheers by repelling a close-range Simon Cox header before Scott McDonald saw his left-footed drive palmed clear at full stretch by Karl Darlow at the other end.
A stop-start period followed with fans and players alike becoming irritated with a slew of free-kicks issued by referee Mark Heywood, who let several hard challenges go unpunished.
In the 34th minute, however, Carayol bared his teeth for the first time, bursting down the left wing only to see his low cross cleared to safety. That move prompted Forest's best spell of the game.
First, Billy Sharp headed past a post from a short Cox cross before Greg Halford nodded over the crossbar as the ball bounced around the Boro box.
There were three minutes to play before the break when Boro broke the deadlock against the run of play.
As Josh McEachran threaded a cute pass from deep and through the Forest back-line, Carayol dropped his shoulder to cut in from the left and take one touch before drilling hard and low beyond Darlow.
But Boro did close the gaps that had allowed Forest some joy in the first half, prompting visiting boss Billy Davies to introduce mercurial midfielder Radoslaw Majewski shortly before the hour mark.
The Pole saw his only promising shot blocked by Andy Halliday, though, and Boro pressed forward once again.
Dyer tried his luck with several balls in to the lurking McDonald, with Halford wise to every cross, but the Forest defender was nowhere to be seen when Richard Smallwood broke through in the 77th minute.
The academy graduate found an unmarked Faris Haroun to his right but the Nigerian substitute somehow clipped over an open goalmouth.
Boro would so very nearly live to regret that spurned opportunity when Chris Cohen came knocking two minutes from time.
The Forest captain seized on an untamed knockdown on the left edge of the six-yard box but slammed his shot across Steele's goal and wide, with Boro holding on through five nervous minutes of stoppage time.
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Matches
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npower Championship
Table
npower Championship
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff City | 46 | 87 |
| 2 | Hull City | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Watford | 46 | 77 |
| 4 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 46 | 75 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 72 |
| 6 | Leicester City | 46 | 68 |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 68 |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Derby County | 46 | 61 |
| 11 | Burnley | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Birmingham City | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Leeds United | 46 | 61 |
| 14 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Blackpool | 46 | 59 |
| 16 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 59 |
| 17 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 58 |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 58 |
| 19 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 58 |
| 20 | Millwall | 46 | 56 |
| 21 | Barnsley | 46 | 55 |
| 22 | Peterborough United | 46 | 54 |
| 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Bristol City | 46 | 41 |
