MIDDLESBROUGH’S remarkable rise under Michael Carrick continues, with the 1-0 victory over Millwall at the Riverside emphasising the sheer scale of Boro’s turnaround.

After a defeat to the same opponents back in October, Boro were 21st and facing up to the reality of what appeared to be a scrap for survival.

Fourteen games – and only three defeats later – Boro are now fourth. Never mind staying up, Boro are undoubtedly in contention to go up. But that’s been obvious for a number of weeks now.

Their latest success, their seventh in eight league games, came once again courtesy of a second half matchwinner. For the third league game in a row, Boro struck after the break. But, just as they did against Birmingham last time out in the Championship, Boro laid the foundations in the first period, dominating possession, patiently probing, wearing the opposition down.

The goal was coming. And it arrived nine minutes after the break through Marcus Forss, his third in five games, a fine finish after a quite sublime pass from captain Jonny Howson.

Millwall came into this game only behind Boro on goal difference but never intended to go toe-to-toe with the hosts. Instead, they set out to stifle, frustrate. After falling behind, they changed their approach and asked questions, making life uncomfortable for Boro late on, but Carrick’s side dug deep to see it out, more evidence of the team’s character that was on display at St Andrew’s after Birmingham’s goal.

Carrick brushed off last week’s heavy defeat to Brighton and named the same XI that started against Albion, the only change from the last Championship outing being Paddy McNair at centre-half rather than the injured Darragh Lenihan.

Cameron Archer had to settle for a place on the bench, little surprise given Matt Crooks scored twice in the win at Birmingham.

Since that victory, Chuba Akpom has been named the Championship’s Player of the Month for December, and the league’s top scorer had a fine early opportunity to notch his 14th of the season when he was played in by Crooks, only to be denied by a fine George Long save.

Boro were doing all the probing, enjoying almost 80% of possession in the first half an hour, and Crooks almost bullied his way to an assist, using brute force to create an opening down the right and crossing for Akpom, who was prevented a tap-in by the fingertips of Long.

Millwall centre-halves Shaun Hutchinson and Jake Cooper were far busier than their Boro counterparts. Cooper did well to intercept a Crooks though-ball to Akpom, then Hutchinson deflected a Forss shot over his own bar. On the stroke of half-time, it was McNamara who almost turned into his own net.

The visitors were undoubtedly the happier to hear the half-time whistle, but the second half started as the first finished, with Boro pushing for the opener. Akpom and Crooks linked-up well yet again, the latter just crowded out as he looked to poke home.

The goal Boro had been threatening throughout came nine minutes into the second half. The finish from Forss was superb but the pass from Howson to set the scorer away down the right was outstanding.

Falling behind would surely spark the visitors into showing some sort of attacking intent and the Lions did indeed start to ask a few questions. Zian Flemming, who scored both goals when these sides met earlier in the season, broke away down the right and was almost sent tumbling inside the box by a relieved Ryan Giles.

Zack Steffen sparked a couple of nervy moments inside the Riverside. First he almost played Boro into trouble with poor distribution and then made a mess of an attempted punch from a long-throw. Millwall made life uncomfortable for Boro late on, pumping high balls and long throws into the box, but home side dealt with it well to see out yet another victory.