Middlesbrough 1 Nottingham Forest 0 - Chip off the old Boro block

Wood, an 18-year-old product of the academy and son of former Boro full-back Dean Gordon, replaced the injured Dael Fry as Warnock’s side climbed into the play-off positions for the first time this season.

Playing alongside Paddy McNair, Wood helped contain a Forest side that failed to record a single effort on target, and while Warnock wants the teenager to keep his feet on the ground, he was delighted with his display.

The Middlesbrough manager said: “Let’s not get carried away, but it’s a good start. It’s his debut and I can’t fault anything he did. It’s nice for him to be playing alongside Paddy in a back four that’s doing really well. He just played his own game. That’s what I told him - ‘be normal, play your normal game and don’t take any chances’. He’s a smashing lad and that will do him the world of good.”

Having scored two late goals in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Coventry, Boro’s patience was rewarded again as Marvin Johnson claimed an 81st-minute winner to beat Forest.

Warnock’s side have not lost a league game since the opening weekend of the season, and the veteran manager felt their latest success was fully merited.

He said: “I said at half-time it was a similar thing to Coventry. It took us 80 minutes to score then and I said it might take us 90 today, but there is a goal there if we keep playing like we are.”

Middlesbrough: Bettinelli, Dijksteel, Wood-Gordon, McNair, Bola; Howson, Morsy (Spence 34), Saville, Tavernier; Assombalonga (Akpom 70), Coulson (Johnson 78). Unused substitutes: Wing, Browne, Roberts, Stojanovic.

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, Tobias Figueiredo, McKenna, Bong; Yates, Colback, Knockaert, Freeman (Cafu 64), Ameobi (Lolley 46); Guerrero (Taylor 78). Unused substitutes:Mbe Soh, Smith, Jenkinson, Sow.

Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).

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