Alan Browne scored and then assisted for Tommy Conway’s winner as Middlesbrough moved into the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places with a 2-1 comeback victory at 10-man Stoke.
Slovakian Tomas Rigo’s first goal in 21 appearances for the Potters gave the home team a deserved interval lead and brief return to a play-off spot.
However, for the second time in six days Kim Hellberg’s side came from behind to leapfrog Ipswich into second, six points behind Coventry.
Sunderland loanee Browne equalised after 48 minutes – the first goal conceded by Stoke in 2026 following four clean sheets – before centring superbly for Tommy Conway to register his fourth goal of the season 11 minutes later as the second tier’s meanest defence was cracked again.
Stoke’s misery was complete 15 minutes from time when defender Bosun Lawal received a second booking for a tackle on Aidan Morris.
Middlesbrough’s third successive league win was a relief to goalkeeper Sol Brynn for his part in Rigo’s goal.
Defender Matt Targett was initially conceded possession but there was no imminent danger. However, the former Banik Ostrava midfielder’s low 20-yard shot ended up in the net as Brynn failed to push the ball away.
Boro came from 2-0 down to beat West Brom 3-2 last Friday and again proved slow starters.
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Alan Browne equalises for Middlesbrough against Stoke City in the Championship.
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Alan Browne whips the ball across the box for Tommy Conway to take the lead for Middlesbrough against Stoke.
Brynn partially atoned after 28 minutes, tipping Million Manhoef’s left foot curler onto the crossbar, before Tommy Simkin, deputising for Stoke’s injured new goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu – was eventually called into action 10 minutes before half-time.
Simkin could not hold Morris’ attempt from outside the area but Ben Wilmot cleared the loose ball.
He also spilled Boro’s next effort from Targett but Morgan Whittaker was offside as he tried to net the rebound.
Brynn was next in action, saving Lamine Cisse’s close-range attempt at the expense of a corner in a lively end to an entertaining first period.
It was too lively for Hellberg, who brought on West Brom matchwinner Delano Burgzorg and Leo Castledine for Alex Gilbert and Sam Silvera after the break.
Within three minutes the Teessiders levelled. Simkin kept out efforts from Hayden Hackney and Morris before Browne smashed in the loose ball from four yards.
Luke Ayling’s tackle on Lawal earned the former Leeds man only a booking from referee Adam Herczeg – not the red card demanded by home fans.
There was further unrest when the visitors completed their comeback. Browne was the provider with a sweet delivery from the right and although Conway scuffed his first attempt, he recovered quickest to swivel and tap the ball home from inches out.
Simkin prevented the scorer doubling his tally after 66 minutes to keep Stoke in contention.
Brynn palmed away Sorba Thomas’s 80th-minute free-kick and kept out Cisse’s stoppage-time header to ensure Boro’s win.
The managers
Stoke’s Mark Robins:
“We have very limited options and we are running on fumes. But they are giving me everything they can.
“We got our nose in front with a good goal from our perspective, though they will be disappointed it went through the goalkeeper. We had probably the best of the chances in the first half. In the second though we looked half a yard off it.
“The energy needed to change but players are giving everything. We just weren’t good enough to see the game through against a good team. We gave them the two goals and helped them on the way with a poor decision or wrong decision.
“It was a good performance but both goals were poor from our perspective. And that’s not like us. But they are a good team and have been in the top two for most of the season.”
Middlesbrough’s Kim Hellberg:
“It was easy to feel sorry for ourselves. But this group worked through it against tough opponents.
“No one was happy with the first half, especially the first 25 minutes. The last 15 minutes were better and we started to turn the game round. But it was not good enough. The second was much better.
“It was better to do the two subs directly after half-time to have the best opportunity to turn the game around. Thankfully, I have a lot of good players and we had a good second half.
“We were brave trying to solve everything but we weren’t active enough in doing the right decisions.
“Luckily, we turned it around and that made me most proud. It would have been easy to go in another direction and start doing somewhere else. But we kept trying harder to solve it.”
