Boro thrash Watford 5-1, West Brom 0-0 Ipswich
Charlton’s 2-1 win and Baggies’ point relegates Oxford
Middlesbrough’s hopes of winning automatic promotion remain alive after they thrashed Watford 5-1 at the Riverside. With second-placed Ipswich drawing 0-0 at West Brom, Boro moved to within a point of the top-two positions with one game to play – although Ipswich still have a game in hand.
Boro’s 5-1 victory was their joint-biggest win of the season and came thanks to doubles from Morgan Whittaker and Tommy Conway plus a goal from David Strelec. Watford’s goal came at the start of the second half from James Abankwah, but while the visitors were a match for their opponents for most of the first period, they were comprehensively outplayed after the break.
It left Kim Hellberg now hoping that Southampton can do Middlesbrough a huge favour when they host Ipswich on Tuesday night. If Ipswich win at St Mary’s, Boro will travel to Wrexham on the final day knowing they will have to be content with a place in the play-offs. But if it ends in a draw or a Southampton victory, Boro will head into the final weekend with their hopes of securing automatic promotion still alive.
