Decisive figure fires Middlesbrough to victory at Birmingham | OneFootball

Matt Targett opened the scoring in the 13th minute, setting Middlesbrough up for a 3-1 win at Birmingham City.

He timed his run onto Aidan Morris' through ball and slid a left-footed finish into the bottom corner from the centre of the box, seizing control for Boro.

The midfielder then doubled the advantage with another composed strike (26.), meeting Hayden Hackney's pass to find the same corner and give Middlesbrough clear daylight before the break.

Targett finished with two goals from two attempts, both on target, plus 12 recoveries and eight successful final third passes, numbers that underlined his influence in both boxes and his steadying of Boro's left side.

His constant movement into central pockets gave Boro a reliable outlet, repeatedly drawing Birmingham back and allowing the visitors to manage the key phases after the restart.

Boro remain second in the Championship. Birmingham drop from 11th to 12th. Boro visit Queens Park Rangers next, while Birmingham go to Charlton Athletic.