Middlesbrough swept aside Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Monday night to regain promotion momentum
Brian Dick Reach Football Correspondent
08:00, 04 Mar 2026
Kim Hellberg applauds his side’s travelling supporters at the end of the match during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Middlesbrough(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Middlesbrough returned to winning ways with a commanding 3-1 win at Birmingham City on Monday night.
Two goals from Matt Targett and one from David Strelec helped Boro become just the second team in nearly two years to win a league game at St Andrew’s.
Victory saw them move four points clear of Millwall in third – and to within five of Coventry City who seemed to have rediscovered their relentless form of earlier in the season.
We spoke to Brian Dick, Reach Football Correspondent and co-host of the Keep Right On podcast, for his take on Boro.
What did you expect from Boro going into the game?
BD: I was concerned about their press and how Blues would play through it. Against Leicester there were times when they absolutely suffocated Gary Rowett’s side and quite honestly I thought Boro were unlucky not to win that game.
They committed the cardinal sin of conceding an early set-piece goal and giving the opposition something to cling on to – but at times the intensity of their work without the ball was as good as I’ve seen for a long time and knowing how Blues like to play out, I was a bit worried.
What did you make of them last night?
BD: I know the stats will say three shots on target and three goals and all three of them were pretty much gifted by Blues – but that doesn’t tell the story of what looked like a big disparity between the teams.
Kim Hellberg said afterwards he’d picked a team to press the life out of Blues and that’s what happened, there was a period towards the end of the first half when Birmingham were like rabbits in headlights and goalkeeper James Beadle’s head was spinning.
When Boro did have the ball – which I was surprised how little that was – they were fast, purposeful and clinical. The first and third goals were the products of pinpoint passing and finishing, albeit awful from Blues’ point of view.
Which players stood out?
BD: I love watching Hayden Hackney, he’s potentially Championship Player of the Season for me. The team is good but he’s the crown jewel and Aidan Morris is the perfect foil. Dael Fry looked dominant and I don’t want to talk about Matt Targett. Star of the show was Hellberg though, his formation change and doubling down on the press was a masterstroke.
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Will Boro go up and if so how?
BD: To say yes I’d have to predict they’ll finish above Ipswich and go up automatically. Only a fool would predict a team would come through the play-offs with 11 regular season games to go.
I’m prepared to say they will go up because while everyone is telling us ‘Ipswich are coming, look at their squad’, I’m looking at the squad and still waiting for it to catch fire.
Of the two run-ins I’d take Boro’s but it’ll come down to the game at Portman Road in April and if there’s anything on the final day trip to Wrexham. Gun to my head, I’m going to say Boro will go up in second place. On their day they are irresistible.
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