Middlesbrough produced a devastating first-half display to crush Hull City 4-1 and strengthen their position in the promotion race, as Kim Hellberg’s side struck four times before the break to render Joe Gelhardt’s second-half penalty little more than a consolation. Four different scorers – David Strelec, Alex Gilbert, Morgan Whittaker and Riley McGree – settled the contest long before full-time on a chastening evening for the Tigers.
The game kicked off 15 minutes late due to heavy rain and strong winds that disrupted traffic and delayed Middlesbrough’s arrival, but the visitors were utterly unmoved by the disruption. While Hull, who could have gone third with a win, never recovered from an abject opening 45 minutes in which they failed to register a single shot, Boro’s cutting edge and organisation shone through as they moved five points clear of third-placed Millwall, albeit still seven adrift of runaway leaders Coventry City.
Hull did at least rally after the interval and pulled one back through Gelhardt, but the damage had long since been done. The home fans made their feelings clear with jeers after the fourth goal, at half-time and again at the final whistle, as a side that has both scored and conceded the second most goals in the division slumped to a defeat that underlined both their attacking potential and their defensive fragility.
Storm-Delayed Kick-Off, Lightning Start from Boro