Middlesbrough recovered from letting an early two-goal lead slip to secure a rousing 3-2 victory at Watford and continue their climb up the Championship table.
After collecting just two points from their opening seven league games, Michael Carrick’s side have now managed successive victories.
Local boy Josh Coburn scored the 63rd-minute winner that halted an improbable comeback by Watford, who now sit just a point above their visitors having won just one of their last eight league fixtures.
Boro, who won their first league game of the campaign last weekend, raced into a 2-0 lead after only 12 minutes, courtesy of Riley McGree’s brace.
Their opening goal was one of stunning simplicity. Jonny Howson slid the ball in front of McGree, who had drifted between defenders. If that gap was large, so was the one left by Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann at his near post into which McGree calmly steered his shot.
After Vakoun Bayo had steered a tame header wide at the other end, Boro extended their lead, again with the greatest of ease.
Matt Crooks moved into the Watford penalty area unchallenged and slid the ball square to McGree, who side-footed another shot past the motionless Bachmann.
Having been gifted the space in which to carve out opportunities in the Watford half, the visitors then reciprocated when Dael Fry failed to cut out a Ryan Porteous through ball and Bayo slid his shot under the advancing Seny Dieng to bring hope back to Vicarage Road.
Just as Watford had not learned their lesson, neither did Fry. The Middlesbrough central defender failed to cut out another forward pass, this time from Yaser Asprilla, and allowed Bayo to sprint clear again. This time, Dieng forced the Watford striker wide and watched on gratefully as Bayo skewed his shot wide.
The home side drew level in the 51st minute after Dieng had flung himself low down to his left to brilliantly parry away a downward Bayo header.
From the resulting corner, Imran Louza’s delivery found its way to the edge of the Boro area where Wesley Hoedt connected with an extraordinary half-volley.
Middlesbrough set about trying to retake the lead.
Isaiah Jones’ control let him down as he sprinted on to one Crooks pass, but Coburn was less profligate when Crooks split the Watford defence with another.
The 20-year-old, whose introduction into the Boro side by Carrick has coincided with their upturn in form, calmly stroked the ball past Bachmann.
The visitors held on this time but only just as Watford substitute Matheus Martins cut inside and curled a shot that clipped the crossbar three minutes into added time.
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
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