Overview
- Middlesbrough beat West Brom 3-1 at the Riverside on Saturday with Will Lankshear scoring twice and Alfie Jones adding a late third to seal the win.
- Replays showed Lankshear was offside for the opening goal but the decision stood and West Brom manager James Morrison declined to make an official complaint.
- Kim Hellberg switched personnel and tactics at half-time after a poor first period, and Boro dominated the second half to create the chances that decided the game.
- Lankshear, signed from Tottenham this summer for a fee reported up to about £20m, has scored six goals in five games and finished both of Middlesbrough's first-half rebound chances on Saturday.
- The match began with a minute's applause for two police officers killed nearby and left West Brom reflecting on costly errors while Middlesbrough build momentum after recent cup success.