Middlesbrough took over at the top of the Championship as an impressive first-half performance secure a 2-1 victory at Sheffield United.
Goals from Tommy Conway and Riley McGree during the opening 45 minutes proved to be crucial, taking Boro two points clear of Coventry at the top after a sixth successive win.
Patrick Bamford gave Sheffield United hope with a goal midway through the second half, but their task was made more difficult when Joe Rothwell, on debut, was sent off 10 minutes from time and they could not find an equaliser.
The Blades midfielder Gus Hamer saw an early curling effort pushed away by the goalkeeper Sol Brynn before Middlesbrough took control, producing some incisive attacking moves to open up the home defence on a number of occasions.
Hayden Hackney slipped a good ball through to Conway on the left-hand side of the area but from a promising position the striker blazed his shot wide.
