Conor Chaplin’s 36th-minute goal has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadum.

Town boss Kieran McKenna makes one enforced change for this afternoon’s game at Middlesbrough with Jack Taylor replacing the suspended Massimo Luongo in the XI.

Taylor joined former Boro man Sam Morsy in the centre of midfield for Luongo, another one-time Teessider, who was banned for one match having picked up five bookings.

Brandon Williams was absent from the squad for the same reason with Axel Tuanzebe and Cameron Humphreys coming onto the bench.

Boro made four changes from the team which lost 3-2 at Leeds last week with former Blues defender Matt Clarke coming into the side for his first league start since October last year following a back problem.

The Teessiders, who had seven players injured and two suspended, also drafted in Dael Fry, who had been a doubt with a hamstring problem, Lukas Engel and loanee Sam Greenwood, who was ineligible against his parent club at Elland Road last week.

Former Blues loanee Hayden Coulson was on the bench with Boro also including a number of youngsters, including AJ Bridge, who was named in a matchday 20 for the first time.

The game got under way and almost immediately skipper Morsy collided with one-time Blues loan target Morgan Rogers, the former Manchester City man requiring treatment before continuing.

On four, an error by the Boro defence on the edge of their own box almost presented a chance to Nathan Broadhead but the Wales international and then George Hirst were unable to make anything of the opportunity.

Moments later, play moved to the other end of the field and Cameron Burgess made an important interception ahead of Rogers just inside the Town area.

On 10, after Hirst had done well to win back the ball, Broadhead found Wes Burns on the right but the former Everton man was crowded out on the edge of the box after receiving a return pass.

As the game approached the quarter hour, Burns was again found on the right but was unable to get round the outside of Lukas Engel and the resultant corner came to nothing.

The Blues though had looked the more threatening of the two teams and increasingly in control but with neither keeper having been tested.

After a spell of Boro possession without the home side creating an opportunity, the Blues struck the game’s first serious shot in the 25th minute.

Harry Clarke feinted that he was shooting before finding Burns to his right and the Welshman played forward to Hirst in the box but the former Leicester man’s strike deflected off a defender through to Seny Dieng in the Boro goal.

Town went closer on the half-hour mark, Chaplin chesting on to Broadhead, who burst towards the area before hitting a shot as Matt Clarke dived into deflect on to the roof of the net.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 34th minute when Emmanuel Latte Lath was sent away in space on the right but Burgess slid in to do enough to put the Ivorian off his stride if not claim the ball. However, Latte Lath’s subsequent ball across the area was well behind his teammates, much to the annoyance of the increasingly frustrated home crowd.

The demeanour of the Boro fans took an even greater nose-dive in the 36th minute when the Blues took the lead.

Chaplin sent Burns away on the right, the winger’s cross struck Boro skipper Jonny Howson, on the arm according to the Town players and fans.

The home players appeared to briefly pause awaiting a decision as the ball bounced out to Chaplin, who smashed a shot which caught Matt Clarke on the way through and beat the motionless Dieng to his left.

Town had deserved the lead having largely been in control of the game and having looked more dangerous the longer the half had continued.

Chaplin’s eighth goal of the season - the 200th of the McKenna era - was a finish typical of the forward and as so often came as a result of an interchange with Burns on the right.

The Teessiders sought to quickly get back on terms and on 40 Latte Lath broke into the box before hitting a shot wide of Vaclav Hladky’s left post when he really ought to have hit the target.

In the final scheduled minute, Greenwood crossed from the right and Latte Lath headed behind at a stretch from beyond the far post.

There were a few muted boos from home supporters at the half-time whistle with the Blues having confidently played out three additional minutes.

Town were well worth their lead at the break having been in charge and looking the most dangerous side even if without creating too many clear-cut chances.

Chaplin’s goal, the first time the Blues had netted first in an away game since the 1-0 win at Bristol City in late October, was a trademark effort from the forward.

The game is far from over, however, with Latte Lath’s effort soon after the goal a warning for the Blues, although with Hladky yet to make save.

Middlesbrough: Dieng, Barlaser, Van den Berg, Crooks, Fry, Greenwood, Clarke, Rogers, Engel, Latte Lath, Howson (c). Subs: Glover, Gilbert, Silvera, Coburn, Coulson, Bangura, McCabe, Cartwright, Bridge.

Town: Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Taylor, Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Tuanzebe, Ball, Humphreys, Harness, Hutchinson, Jackson, Scarlett, Ladapo. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Photo: Matchday Images

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