Middlesbrough 3-1 Barnsley - match report

It's just two wins in 2018 for Jose Morais' side now, with just ten games remaining.

The Reds made a wretched start and were behind inside the first minute.

Daniel Ayala prodded home inside the area after the Reds failed to deal with Ryan Shotton's long throw into the box.

Boro were well on top of proceedings with the hugely influential Adama Traore looking a huge threat every time he went forward.

And indeed it was Traore who doubled the hosts' advantage on 18 minutes.

The winger finished coolly with his left foot to steer it beyond a helpless Nick Townsend.

The Reds didn't muster a single shot on target in the first half and things went from bad to worse on 53 minutes when Patrick Bamford made it 3-0.

The prolific hitman bundled the ball into an empty net after Reds' stopper Nick Townsend completely flapped at a corner.

Some pride was restored for Jose Morais' side when Kieffer Moore nodded in to make it 3-1 after Gary Gardner's piledriver was parried.

And the Reds could have reduced the deficit further only for Moore to nod a header against the post as Boro sealed a fourth consecutive home win.