Match ends, Blackpool 1, Middlesbrough 2.
BlackpoolBlackpool1MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough2
Middlesbrough moved to the top of the Championship after Kike headed a late winner against bottom side Blackpool.
The Spaniard met Lee Tomlin's cross in the 88th minute and his header dropped in over the line after clipping the underside of the bar.
Jonathan Woodgate had emphatically nodded in a corner in the 81st minute as the visitors took the lead.
Blackpool thought they had secured a draw when Ben Gibson turned the ball into his own net, before Kike struck.
Derby could only manage a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, which meant Aitor Karanka's side moved to the summit for the first time this season as the Cherries slipped to second place.
Former Real Madrid defender Karanka took charge of the North East side in November 2013 and has overseen a 10-game unbeaten run, winning six.
| Middlesbrough's rise to the top |
|---|
| Played: 30 Won: 17 Draw: 8 Lost: 5 |
| For: 48 Against: 20 Points: 59 |
Lee Clark's Blackpool side could easily have gone ahead in the first 20 seconds as Charles Dunne cut in from the left, but his shot was collected by Boro goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Middlesbrough almost took the lead after five minutes as Adam Clayton picked out Adam Forshaw with a free-kick, but his effort from six yards crept just wide.
Joe Lewis was called into action for Blackpool, saving low to his left from a Daniel Ayala header and then kept out Kike's effort with his feet.
The pressure from the visitors continued in the second half and they broke the deadlock on 81 minutes through veteran centre-back Woodgate, who headed in Grant Leadbitter's corner for his first goal since November 2012.
Blackpool equalised four minutes later when Gibson failed to deal with a cross into the area and could only head into his own goal, before Kike's late intervention won the points for Middlesbrough.
Blackpool manager Lee Clark:
"We're frustrated and disappointed. You think when you equalise late in the game you're going to take a point from it.
"On a very tough pitch we've gone and matched Middlesbrough in every aspect of the game but I think it shows you the quality that their squad possesses.
"We're disappointed with the two goals. One from a corner and one from a throw in. We should do better than that.
"It's a frustrating night because we deserved a point. Whether we deserved a win is another matter but we deserved a point for the battling performance."
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka:
"We are working to stay top obviously, but this league is very difficult. It's hard to be in that position.
"There are all the teams that are going to be fighting in the same way like us but we have a very good squad and a very good atmosphere in the team. If we think everything is done now we are making a very big mistake.
"It was a massive win because in Spain we say that in these pitches is where you can achieve biggest success.
"It's been very important for us especially when we have played with six or seven different players, so it means the squad that I have is brilliant."
Line-ups
Blackpool
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lewis
- 29McMahon
- 6ClarkeBooked at 4mins
- 48O'Dea
- 18DunneSubstituted forMaherat 49'minutes
- 4Perkins
- 31O'Hara
- 11Orlandi
- 34Telford
- 40CameronSubstituted forDelfounesoat 73'minutes
- 9DaviesSubstituted forMadineat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Aldred
- 3Maher
- 12Rothwell
- 14Delfouneso
- 21Parish
- 24Madine
- 33Waddington
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Konstantopoulos
- 18WhiteheadSubstituted forLeadbitterat 60'minutes
- 4AyalaSubstituted forGibsonat 51'minutes
- 39Woodgate
- 26Kalas
- 8Clayton
- 34Forshaw
- 27Adomah
- 21VossenSubstituted forTomlinat 81'minutes
- 20Reach
- 9Kike
Substitutes
- 6Gibson
- 7Leadbitter
- 10Tomlin
- 11Ledesma
- 22Omeruo
- 23Bamford
- 40Mejias
- Referee:
- Chris Kavanagh
- Attendance:
- 10,806
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackpoolAway TeamMiddlesbrough
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away6
- Corners
- Home8
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackpool 1, Middlesbrough 2.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kike (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Peter Clarke (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jamie O'Hara (Blackpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Dominic Telford (Blackpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jamie O'Hara.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tony McMahon (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nathan Delfouneso.
Goal!
Goal! Blackpool 1, Middlesbrough 2. Kike (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Lee Tomlin.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dominic Telford (Blackpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by David Perkins with a cross.
Goal!
Own Goal by Ben Gibson, Middlesbrough. Blackpool 1, Middlesbrough 1.
Post update
Corner, Blackpool. Conceded by Jonathan Woodgate.
Goal!
Goal! Blackpool 0, Middlesbrough 1. Jonathan Woodgate (Middlesbrough) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Grant Leadbitter with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Nathan Delfouneso.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Lee Tomlin replaces Jelle Vossen.
Post update
Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Gary Madine (Blackpool).
Post update
Foul by Adam Reach (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Nathan Delfouneso (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Adam Forshaw (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Grant Leadbitter.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kike (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Clayton.
