Middlesbrough vs Burnley match report: Emilio Nsue delivers to send Boro top of the table

Middlesbrough 1 Burnley 0: Aitor Karanka’s side have not conceded a goal on home soil since mid-September

Emilio Nsue (centre) broke the deadlock when he turned in Adam Forshaw’s cross from close range (PA)

The chant started behind Dimi Konstantopoulos’s goal at the Riverside Stadium in the 89th minute, when Queen’s Park Rangers scored. At that point Middlesbrough went top of the Championship.

It has been six and a half years since the club fell through the Premier League trap door. Victory over Burnley here, through Emilio Nsue’s goal early in the second half, was significant enough, opening up an eight-point gap to Sean Dyche’s side, who finished the day in fifth.

It also meant that Aitor Karanka’s side have not conceded a goal on home soil since mid-September, a seven-game run.

They were full value for the victory. In fact, their second-half display should have yielded more than just the solitary strike from Nsue. Stewart Downing, Adam Forshaw and George Friend all had chances to kill off their rivals before a nervy finale.

There had been precious little in the opening 45 minutes to suggest that Middlesbrough’s difficulties in breaking teams down at the Riverside would change.

Karanka had made four changes to his team – one forced through the suspension of striker David Nugent – but it did not alter the likelihood of a goal. Indeed there had been more to write about in the goalless draw against Birmingham, during which Nugent had been shown a red card for raising his hands.

There was not that kind of frustration last night but it was a barren opening, and all the home side had to show for a half of football was two speculative long-range shots from their central midfielder Adam Clayton.

In the 10th minute, Clayton shot narrowly wide of the far post of Tom Heaton’s goal. Just before the half-hour mark he let fly from 20 yards. This time he cleared the bar.

Indeed it was left to Konstantopoulos to provide the only save of the half, in the 37th minute. George Boyd struck his angled shot from the left side of the Middlesbrough penalty area well and it was destined for the bottom corner before Konstantopoulos produced a fine stop to his right.

Earlier, Daniel Ayala did well to block a well-struck shot from David Jones.

Middlesbrough had more drive after the interval, when they looked like a side who believed it was their time to return to the Premier League and, just nine minutes after half-time, they had the lead.

Forshaw did well to get to the byline and when he pulled the ball back, Nsue struck a right-foot finish past Heaton from close range. There should have been more.

Heaton did well to deny Downing from 30 yards, diving at full stretch to his left, and the Burnley goalkeeper was alert soon after to stop Forshaw from distance.

Burnley had only a tame Scott Arfield effort to show in reply and Boro captain Friend almost doubled their lead with 20 minutes left, but Heaton saved his left-foot volley.

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): Konstantopoulos; Kalas, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Nsue, Forshaw (Adomah, 89), Clayton, Downing; Kike (Stuani, 76), Fabbrini (Leadbitter, 65). Subs not used: Amorebieta, De Pena, Mejias, Zuculini.

Burnley (4-5-1): Heaton; Darikwa (Hennings, 85), Duff, Keane, Mee; Boyd (Kightly, 77), Marney, Barton, Jones (Vokes, 71), Arfield; Gray.Subs not used: Lowton, Taylor, Ward, Mitchell.

Referee: G Eltringham (Co Durham).