Middlesbrough vs Birmingham City. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance22,374.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Birmingham at the Riverside Stadium as Boro won their first game since the sacking Chris Wilder on Wednesday night.
Wednesday 5 October 2022 23:05, UK
Managerless Middlesbrough climbed out of the Championship's relegation zone by beating Birmingham 1-0 in the first game since Chris Wilder's departure.
With the search for Wilder's replacement ongoing following his exit on Monday, striker Chuba Akpom powered in the winning goal in the 23rd minute to earn Boro victory for only the third time this season.
It was a victory that lifted Middlesbrough up to 18th in the Sky Bet Championship and above Birmingham, whose four match unbeaten run came to an end at the Riverside.
Middlesbrough's players could not have asked for a better reception from the home crowd, with full support shown to interim boss Leo Percovich after he was asked to step up from his first team coaching role. He was assisted by academy staff Craig Liddle, Mark Tinkler and Lee Cattermole.
And after a slow start Middlesbrough's influence grew once both teams survived potential red cards.
The first of those arrived when Birmingham's Juninho Bacuna left Akpom needing treatment from a mistimed lunge. The second saw Paddy McNair clearly trip Scott Hogan as he threatened to go through on goal. Both offences received cautions.
Once Bacuna had curled the resulting free-kick inches wide for Birmingham, Middlesbrough turned up the heat a little and got their rewards midway through the opening half.
Ryan Giles' corner hit the back of Birmingham defender Auston Trusty at the back post and the loose ball fell invitingly for Akpom to fire in his third of the season.
There were also efforts from Matt Crooks and McNair to worry the Blues, and yet Birmingham would have been level had Middlesbrough goalkeeper Zack Steffen not stopped Hogan's effort after Anfernee Dijksteel's poor back pass.
Birmingham started brightly after the restart too, with Tahith Chong charging deep into the Middlesbrough half before beating his marker and firing into the arms of Steffen.
Neither side really found any rhythm in the early second-half exchanges and the closest the home side came to adding to their lead was when league debutant Hayden Hackney curled over from distance.
Wilder had shown a reluctance to play academy graduates in his starting line-up but Hackney, from Redcar on Teesside, was one of the four changes Percovich made to the side that lost at Coventry.
Hogan lifted a side-footed first time effort over as Birmingham continued to look to level, but Middlesbrough did enough to thwart the majority of advances.
When Hackney did concede a free-kick for a foul on Chong on the hour, Emmanuel Longelo's curling effort from 25 yards looked like it was flying into the top corner when Steffen turned it over.
Birmingham kept probing, particularly through the lively Chong, while Middlesbrough made changes in a bid to alter the flow of the game.
Soon after those Rodrigo Muniz headed against the crossbar for Middlesbrough, while substitute Marcus Forss had the rebound in the net but from an offside position.
Middlesbrough never looked like conceding after that.
Middlesbrough's interim manager Leo Percovich : "The plan when I was asked was to train the players Monday, prepare the team for Wednesday and Saturday. We know we will be ready for Saturday. We want more of the same. I am enjoying it, enjoying the togetherness of the club and the people, the staff, the players. We are together, let's go. That makes you feel calmer, better. You always say in football, you aim to win 1-0. We came to get the three points and move up the table. That is the most important.
"Second half was emotional - a lot has happened this week. We know they have the talent and they will be fine, that's for sure. I have been proud to represent them on the pitch. I have almost 10 seasons at this club. I know how they feel, when they look into my eyes I know. They knew I was supporting them. Tonight they have stood up for me and they make me feel proud."
Birmingham's John Eustace: "I am disappointed to lose the game. First half we started very well with the ball. Without the ball we didn't put enough pressure on them - a little too passive. A draw would have been a fair result after a better second half.
"First half we had a good chance with Scott Hogan, half chances in the second half without causing them too many problems. It is a work in progress, but we have been on a good four-game unbeaten run and we have to learn before Saturday. We need to be better in the final third, decisions have to be better, get our shots off quicker, get more bodies in the box, get our deliveries better."
