Middlesbrough: Aitor Karanka dedicates win to Ali Brownlee

Aitor Karanka's side moved to second in the Championship table with the win at Huddersfield

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka dedicated Saturday's 2-0 Championship win at Huddersfield Town to BBC Tees commentator Ali Brownlee, who has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Brownlee is shortly to begin treatment and missed Saturday's game, having commentated on Boro since 1982.

The win moved the Teessiders second, two points behind leaders Brighton.

"I want to dedicate this game to a good friend in Ali who is not in a good moment," Karanka told BBC Tees.

"He's in our minds, I'm sure he will soon be with us, and I want to dedicate this game to him."

Ali Brownlee has been commentating on Middlesbrough since 1982

Boro's bid for promotion to the Premier League has been accompanied by a League Cup run which has already accounted for Manchester United at Old Trafford after a penalty shootout.

Tuesday's home quarter-final tie with another top-flight opponent in Everton was the reward for that success, with a strong crowd expected at the Riverside.

"If we play the way we did in the first half then we will lose five or six-nil," said Karanka.

"We have to learn, I know the motivation will be completely different to play Everton at home.

"It's going to be different, we played really well against Manchester United and Manchester City last season, played well against Premier League teams."