Middlesbrough 3 Reading 1: Strachan delighted with Boro fortune

Barry Robson scored after just 24 seconds – the fastest goal at the Riverside – as Boro eased to this home win over Reading.

Leroy Lita added a second against his former club and although Jimmy Kebe pulled a goal back, Boro were not to be denied and David Wheater's header sealed the points.

Strachan was facing mounting pressure after Boro crashed to defeat at Championship leaders QPR but they followed up a midweek win over Burnley with an encouraging display against Reading, much to his delight.

"We've been involved in three good games this week," he said. "We did well in a smashing first half at QPR although we lost, we did a lot better in midweek in beating Burnley, and then we did a lot better again against Reading.

"That is six points in two games now so I have got to be satisfied.

"It definitely helps when you get the early goal like that, although it was not something we planned for.

"In fact, it was a wee bit fortuitous. I don't think the pass was intended for Barry Robson but he nipped in there and finished it off well so no one is complaining.

"I was delighted. The tempo of the game was excellent and we showed a lot of energy.

"If we can continue to get better with every game the way we have been then I'll be absolutely delighted."

Reading manager Brian McDermott believes the early goal was decisive in ending the Royals' unbeaten away record.

"We didn't do ourselves justice and we looked a little bit flat out there," he said. "But that first goal coming as early as it did certainly didn't help. The goal galvanised their team and got their crowd going and it put a bit of spring in their step and it took us time to adjust.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte (McMahon 79), Wheater, McManus, Arca, Robson, Bailey, Tavares, Kink (Halliday 70), McDonald, Lita. Unused substitutes: Coyne, Bates, Boyd, Miller, Smallwood.

Reading: Federici, Mills, Pearce, Cummings (Hunt 69), Harte, Karacan, McAnuff (Antonio 77), Gunnarsson, Kebe, Howard, Long (Church 89). Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Williams, Khizanishvili, Robson-Kanu.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Barry Robson.