Huddersfield Town 4 Middlesbrough FC 2: Great Escape on for Neil Warnock's Terriers after Boro battered in second half

The Championship’s enthralling capacity for the unexpected surfaced once again in a scarcely believable second half for the Terriers and a bruising one for promotion aspirants Middlesbrough.

Trailing at the interval, Town cancelled out Marcus Forss’s opener 22 seconds into the second half after Josh Ruffels went solo - and it was the prelude to the most remarkable passage of play in a troubled season for the hosts.

Four goals arrived in total in a frenzied 20-minute power play when the Terriers had their foot firmly on the throat of a bewildered Boro.

After Ruffels’ fine goal, Josh Koroma’s second was another eye-catcher - and just over 10 minutes later, a defender in Matty Pearson was on a hat-trick following two close-range goals as Boro clocked off.

Ahead of the game, Neil Warnock - against one of his former clubs - spoke about his side having a go and giving Boro a game. They did that and a load more besides en route to scoring four goals at home for the first time since August 2021.

This was a Warnock side at their belligerent, in-your-face best on the resumption. Ultra-committed and full of intent and a team in the truest sense of the word.

Chants of ‘There’s only one Neil Warnock’ and ‘Neil Warnock’s barmy army’ filled the air in the second half. The veteran will miss all these, when he does finally retire.

Warnock spoke about seeing a massive difference in Huddersfield in the past few weeks and despite his side trailing at the break, there were elements to enthuse about and take heart from.

Boro did not go through the gears aside from one moment and it was enough to give them the lead shortly before the interval.

A quality move began when Town were caught on the counter with Aaron Ramsey showing sublime skill to manufacture space in midfield.

With the Terriers stretched, Ramsey slotted in Archer with a dangerous pass down the left and his fellow Aston Villa loanee cut inside and the ball eventually found Forss, who kept his cool to tuck the ball away nicely from ten yards out.

It was slightly harsh on Town and while much of the half was a case of showing discipline and organisation with Boro enjoying a fair bit of possession, they set about the visitors well enough and they did not truly settle until their goal.

The hosts started off with heart and were so close to taking an early lead.

A cross from Rarmani Edmonds-Green - handed the job of looking after Chuba Akpom - found Michal Helik, who teed up Koroma, who cut inside before seeing his goalbound effort cleared off the line from Darragh Lenihan.

Boro’s passing game was sloppy early on, but they persevered.

Their first moment of danger ended with Ruffels showing good alertness to block Paddy McNair’s goalbound effort after a neat short corner routine.

Ruffles also did superbly after Town were caught on their left with Giles’s low cross seemingly destined for Akpom to convert, only for the defender to making a fine last-ditch block.

Ryan Giles’s corners posted some alarm for Town with Akpom - well marshalled in the mind - heading over, while Archer was off beam with an acrobatic volley.

Ramsey was off target with a couple of efforts and while Town protected Tomas Vaclik well enough and were on the cusp of reflecting upon a decent half, all things considered, Forss’s goal changed the mood.

Developments at the start of the second period were rather more to the hosts’ liking after Ruffels went solo to stunning effect, slaloming away at the start of the second period.

And then the party truly began.

With the home crowd buying into the hosts’ hearty efforts, Danny Ward got away and switched play to Koroma, who scored the winner in a 3-2 win over a Boro side managed by Warnock a few years back.

Koroma cut inside and finished with a deadly low strike.

It was soon 3-1 when Helik won a header from Rudoni’s corner and the unmarked Pearson steered the home.

The defender soon had another after good work from Rudoni and Ruffels found Ward, whose deflected shot found Pearson, in splendid isolation at the far post and he converted gleefully.

Ex-Town captain Tommy Smith soon saw a header tipped over, while Boro thought they had pulled one back following a goalmouth scramble, but it was ruled out for a foul on Vaclik with a linesman seeming to initially give the goal.

They did reduce the arrears when Akpom headed in Riley McGree’s cross from the left for his 26th goal of the season.

Town almost added a fourth courtesy of Jack Rudoni. It was emphatically their day as they recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since Christmas.

Huddersfield Town: Vaclik; Pearson, Lees, Helik, Ruffles; Edmonds-Green (Lowton 77), Hogg, Rudoni; Holmes (Jackson 26), Koroma (Kasumu 88), Ward (Simpson 88). Substitutes unused: Bilokapic, Rhodes, Hungbo.

Middlesbrough: Steffen; Smith, McNair (Barlaser 84), Lenihan, Giles; Howson, Hackney (McGree 65); Forss, Akpom, Ramsey; Archer (Crooks 65). Substitutes unused: Roberts, Mowatt, Fry, Bola.

Referee: J Busby.