Middlesbrough were unable to prevent Cardiff City from moving up to second in the Championship table following a 1-0 defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Defender Sean Morrison headed the only goal of the contest with twelve minutes of the opening half remaining.
Junior Hoilett had already sent an early attempt over for the home side, with Adama Traore’s reply comfortably taken by Neil Etheridge .
But it was the visitors falling behind when Hoilett’s free-kick was headed in by skipper Morrison after Ryan Shotton was penalised.
Joe Ralls next struck wide ahead of the interval, while Boro’s Stewart Downing drove an opportunity across goal following the restart.
However, Darren Randolph then reacted superbly to keep out Hoilett from close-range before also frustrating substitute Loic Damour.
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Paterson (Halford 87), Grujic (Damour 71), Ralls, Hoilett, Zohore, Traore (Peltier 67)
subs (unused): Pilkington, Mendez-Laing, Murphy, Wildschut
Goals: Morrison (33)
Middlesbrough: Randolph, Shotton, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Howson (Harrison 83), Leadbitter, Besic (Assombalonga 62), Traore, Gestede (Bamford 84), Downing
subs (unused): Konstantopoulos, Clayton, Cranie, Fry
Ref: D. Bond
Att: 18,720
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