Relief for anxious Karanka

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka was happy with the result if not the overall performance against Charlton Athletic.

Boro moved into ninth place in the table courtesy of Emmanuel Ledesma’s early goal against opponents who later had Rhoys Wiggins sent-off.

“I was very happy when the final whistle went because I was really suffering there at the end,” Karanka admitted to BBC Sport. “It was another three points and another clean sheet so I must be satisfied – but it was not a good game.

“But it was a game that we may have lost in the past and it is another win so that is a good thing,” he reasoned. “And it is a big lesson for us. It has showed how difficult it is to win games in the Championship, how hard you must work to get in front and how hard it is to stay there.”