08:00, 04 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
![\"Kim](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772619440_378_0_Birmingham-City-v-Middlesbrough-Sky-Bet-Championship.jpg\")
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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)<\/p>\n
Middlesbrough returned to winning ways with a commanding 3-1 win at Birmingham City on Monday night.<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s.<\/p>\n Victory saw them move four points clear of Millwall in third \u2013 and to within five of Coventry City who seemed to have rediscovered their relentless form of earlier in the season.<\/p>\n We spoke to Brian Dick, Reach Football Correspondent and co-host of the Keep Right On podcast, for his take on Boro<\/a>.<\/p>\n What did you expect from Boro going into the game?<\/p>\n BD:<\/strong> I was concerned about their press and how Blues would play through it. Against Leicester there were times when they absolutely suffocated Gary Rowett\u2019s side and quite honestly I thought Boro were unlucky not to win that game.<\/p>\n They committed the cardinal sin of conceding an early set-piece goal and giving the opposition something to cling on to \u2013 but at times the intensity of their work without the ball was as good as I\u2019ve seen for a long time and knowing how Blues like to play out, I was a bit worried.<\/p>\n What did you make of them last night?<\/p>\n BD<\/strong>: I know the stats will say three shots on target and three goals and all three of them were pretty much gifted by Blues \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t tell the story of what looked like a big disparity between the teams.<\/p>\n Kim Hellberg said afterwards he\u2019d picked a team to press the life out of Blues<\/a> and that\u2019s what happened, there was a period towards the end of the first half when Birmingham were like rabbits in headlights and goalkeeper James Beadle\u2019s head was spinning.<\/p>\n When Boro did have the ball \u2013 which I was surprised how little that was \u2013 they were fast, purposeful and clinical. The first and third goals were the products of pinpoint passing and finishing, albeit awful from Blues\u2019 point of view.<\/p>\n Which players stood out?<\/p>\n BD: <\/strong>I love watching Hayden Hackney, he\u2019s potentially Championship Player of the Season for me. The team is good but he\u2019s the crown jewel and Aidan Morris is the perfect foil. Dael Fry looked dominant and I don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n