Middlesbrough 2 Reading 1: Karanka remains grounded

Reading's Simon Cox (left) scores his side's equaliser against Middlesbrough.

Forshaw struck amid a goalmouth scramble in the fourth minute of stoppage time at the end of a hugely tense 2-1 win over Reading to send the Teessiders two points clear of Burnley at the top with five games remaining 24 hours after third-placed Brighton had won in similarly dramatic fashion.

It had looked like being a frustrating evening for Aitor Karanka’s men until the midfielder’s last-gasp intervention after Simon Cox’s first goal in 16 months had cancelled out Emilio Nsue’s opener with Reading keeper Ali Al Habsi almost single-handedly keeping Boro at bay.

while the locals headed for home contemplating a return to the top flight after fives successive wins, three-times Champions League winner Karanka was thinking only of Saturday’s trip to relegated Bolton and the three points on offer there.

The Spanish head coach said: “Now, for example, I am really pleased because we won the game, but when you are a coach, now my feelings are I am happier for them [the players] than for me.

“They deserve to live this situation and now I am going home and I am going to dream about Bolton tonight.

“When you are a coach, you enjoy it especially with players like them, who are doing their best every single day.”