Queens Park Rangers 0-2 Middlesbrough: Emmanuel Latte Lath and Marcus Forss strike for Boro

Second-half strikes from Emmanuel Latte Lath and Marcus Forss earned Middlesbrough victory over an improving Queens Park Rangers side who were beaten for just the second time in 10 games.

But Boro, who move up to 11th, were vastly improved after the interval and led when Latte Lath steered a clever shot past keeper Asmir Begovic.

And Forss made sure of Boro’s second win in two games when he squeezed a shot home at the near post.

The defeat, and Stoke City’s 2-1 win at Preston, means QPR will return to the relegation zone if fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town beat West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Rangers played with the confidence and quality of a team unbeaten in four before the break, but Marti Cifuentes’ side were unable to make their dominance count against a subdued Boro.

The hosts’ first chance saw Steve Cook’s header from Lucas Andersen’s right-wing corner hit Boro captain Jonny Howson and went over.

Sam Field then headed over from another Andersen corner and playmaker Chair was also off target, while keeper Seny Dieng, playing against his former club, pushed away a strike from Willock after some slick build-up play.

Dieng was also able to keep out an audacious attempt by Chair to catch him off his line.

Riley McGree blasted a shot wide of the target, but Boro only really started to threaten after the interval.

Latte Lath grabbed the opening goal on 64 minutes after Rangers failed to clear a free-kick as Matt Clarke nudged the ball back to the Ivorian, who volleyed it into the corner.

And Forss doubled the lead 12 minutes later following a counter-attack when he headed in a Luke Ayling cross at the back post, with Rangers furious that play was not pulled back for a foul on Willock.

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes:

“Trust me, I don’t need a defeat to have a reality check. It’s a really difficult situation. I’m convinced that we’re going to manage to reach the target, but if anyone thought it was easy they were making a big mistake.

“I’m not a magician. I’m here to help. But to expect we’re going to win every game is delusional. It’s going to be tough. We have a sad feeling because it’s true that we had big expectations about this game and we didn’t perform – not even close to the last game.

“We had a very demanding game on Wednesday, emotionally and physically, and Middlesbrough played 60 minutes against 10 men against Norwich, so perhaps that’s one of the reasons they looked more energetic in the second half.

“It’s very demanding when you have three games in just a few days and especially when you have Leicester away and West Brom.”

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick:

“I keep saying about the spirit of the boys. It’s easy when you’re winning to say that, but when you have a tough spell – and we’ve had a couple of tough spells – you see people’s characters and their real personalities.

“The boys have been incredible in terms of sticking together and finding a way through it.

“It’s two big results. The timing of the two results has been good and we’ve got two games coming up before the international break that we need to make the most of.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game but what mattered most was the spirit and willingness to work for each other. I’m delighted to find a way to grind out a win. The boys did what they needed to do to get the win. It was a case of having the belief and backing themselves to go and win.”