Boro still moving on up

Middlesbrough moved joint-top of the Championship after a resounding 4-1 victory at lowly newcomers Charlton Athletic.

Rob Hulse earned the hosts an early lead but replies from Jonathan Woodgate, Scott McDonald, Emmanuel Ledesma and substitute Richard Smallwood eventually saw the visitors emerge as comfortable winners.

Home midfielder Bradley Pritchard headed over an early Bradley Wright-Phillips cross before finding Hulse to open the scoring with a low finish on twelve minutes after the recalled Josh McEachran had lost possession.

Belgian international Faris Haroun struck wide from the edge of the area at the other end, until Woodgate headed his first goal since returning to the club to equalise from Grant Leadbitter's cross just before the half-hour.

Charlton tried to immediately respond with goalscorer Hulse, Leon Cort and Johnnie Jackson each wide of the mark before the break.

But it was their visitors going ahead into the second period with McDonald claiming his fifth goal in six games with an excellent low finish from inside the area are being found by McEachran.

Ten minutes later Ledesma added a third goal courtesy of a precise chip over goalkeeper Ben Hamer, who then went full-length to keep out a firm volley from McDonald.

Boro introduced returning striker Lukas Jutkiewicz from the bench and he promptly struck the inside of an upright from twelve-yards before soon forcing another extended save from Hamer.

Substitute Smallwood then turned in Leadbitter's low drive deep into added time to complete an excellent afternoon for the travelling supporters.

Charlton Athletic: Hamer, Morrison, Solly, Wilson (Stephens 46), Cort (Haynes 76), Jackson, Kerkar, Pritchard, Dervite, Wright-Phillips (Cook 75), Hulse

subs (unused): Button, Taylor, Green, Hollands

Goals: Hulse (12)

Middlesbrough: Steele, Parnaby, Woodgate, Bikey, Friend, Leadbitter, Bailey, Ledesma (Jutkiewicz 66), McEachran (Smallwood 90), Haroun (Hoyte 90), McDonald

subs (unused): Leutwiler, Reach, Zemmama, Halliday

Goals: Woodgate (27), McDonald (53), Ledesma (63), Smallwood (90)

Ref: Scott

Att: 17,736

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