Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka was thrilled after his side moved to within a point of Championship leaders Norwich City with a 2-0 win over Fulham.
After Adam Reach’s opening goal just after the interval, Fulham wasted three good chances before Albert Adomah doubled Boro’s lead in the 82nd minute to seal the three points for the hosts.
Karanka’s side are now fifth in the table and they have extended their unbeaten run to six league matches.
“I’m very happy with our position in the table and pleased because our performance was very good,” the coach said.
“We played against a very good team, who are working well with the new manager and will be in a high position at the end of the season.”
The first half was a nervy affair – although Middlesbrough did almost take the lead when Adomah hit a post in the 15th minute – but Karanka was delighted with the response of his side after the interval.
He said: “In the first half we didn’t play in the way we are used to playing. We are not comfortable when we don’t have the ball and we were running behind them. In the second half we were more confident when we had the ball and we did well.”
But the manager is refusing to get carried away with his side’s lofty position, given it is only October.
He added: “This team is improving every single day. One point off the top? I want to be in that position at the end of the season – that’s my job.”
At the other end of the table, caretaker player-coach Andy Hughes claims Dougie Freedman’s successor as Bolton coach will inherit a “hungry, driven squad” despite a 2-1 home defeat to 10-man Bournemouth.
Callum Wilson struck two second-half goals, after Yann Kermorgant’s 36th-minute red card for violent conduct, to leave Wanderers rock-bottom of the Championship.
Hughes and goalkeeping coach Lee Turner were put in temporary charge after Freedman’s assistant Lennie Lawrence and first-team coach Curtis Fleming were sacked on Friday.
“I am sure there will be some high-class managers, out of work, looking at this job, chomping at the bit,” Hughes said. “If I was one of them with this facility, the training ground, the academy and the fans, I would be.
“Whoever is the next manager, he is going to inherit a wonderful squad. I look down our squad and I think ‘wow’.
“We need to win and get someone in who will lift the bunch. But he is getting a driven, hungry bunch who are willing to work hard.
“There is only one way for this club and that is up. And it will stay up.”
Elsewhere, Norwich were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham United but stayed on top of the Championship table as Watford and Derby County also failed to win at home.
Paul Green put the visitors ahead from the penalty just before half-time at Carrow Road, but the hosts avoided a second straight defeat as Cameron Jerome equalised after 77 minutes.
With Nottingham Forest not in action against Ipswich Town until Sunday, Watford could have climbed to the summit by beating Brighton & Hove Albion, but Lewis Dunk levelled for Albion after Daniel Tozser had put Watford in front for another 1-1 stalemate.
Derby were denied a third straight Championship victory when their Pride Park clash with Millwall ended goalless to leave the club one point off the pace.
Jose Ignacio Peleteiro Ramallo, Alex Pritchard and Jonathan Douglas were on target for Brentford as they beat Reading 3-1 at Griffin Park.
David Edwards and Bakary Sako netted for Wolverhampton Wanderers, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic as James Perch and Marc-Antoine Fortune replied.
Leeds United came from behind to share the spoils in a 1-1 Yorkshire derby draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road as Giuseppe Bellusci levelled on 79 minutes after Chris Maguire had put Leeds ahead.
It was the same scoreline at The Valley as David Davis equalised for visitors Birmingham City after Igor Vetokele had put Charlton Athletic in front, while Blackburn Rovers drew 0-0 with Huddersfield Town as Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes missed a penalty against his former club.
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