Middlesbrough FC happy to be the 'hunter' says Isaiah Jones as in-form Championship side eye shock play-off twist

The odds on the North Riding outfit earning a place in the end-of-season lottery remain slim, despite Michael Carrick’s side being in joint second place in the division’s latest six-match form guide.

With six matches remaining, ninth-placed Boro are six points behind the club occupying the final play-off place in Norwich City.

Key players Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg could boost their options in time for Saturday’s home game with Swansea City - on a day when Norwich tackle leaders Ipswich Town in a huge East Anglian derby.

After that, Boro face a direct rival in Hull City next Wednesday.

Winger Jones, who netted with a deflected shot in Monday’s 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, said: “We have to believe we can do it. The belief is still there.

"We know the season hasn’t been how we wanted it to be. We’ve had a lot of injuries this season and that hasn’t been ideal for the gaffer.

"Not many have been short-term injuries either, we’ve suffered a lot of long-term injuries.

"As a group though, physically we feel good right now.

"Obviously, we’d rather be in the position of the teams above us because they have the points on the board and we have to try and catch them.

"But at the same time, sometimes it’s best to be the hunter. It’s been up and down, but now we need to put those points on the board.

"Hopefully we can end the season on a high and hopefully we can get into the play-offs. But if not, we will recharge our batteries and go again next season.”

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Such is the capricious nature of Championship life that Boro, as recently as early March, were more concerned about being dragged into a relegation fight than the play-offs, following a 2-0 loss at Stoke City.

A six-match unbeaten sequence since has changed all that and given their predicament just over a month ago, they are taking their current position as a bonus that they were not expecting.

Their run-in remains tough with Ipswich and Leeds United also still to play alongside Hull, who also face key appointments with Kieran McKenna’s frontrunners and Coventry City before season’s end.

But Jones - part of the Boro side who finished in the play-offs last term and who just missed out on a top-six finish in 2021-22, is determined to enjoy the ride.

He continued: "The most important thing was gaining three points (on Monday) and hopefully taking that momentum into the next game.

"The Championship is unpredictable and anyone can beat anyone. We’ve just got to take it game by game and you just never know where it can lead us.

"Hopefully, if we can win all of our games, we’ll give ourselves a real chance.

"There have been ups and downs since the beginning of the season. I feel like we’re building into a good rhythm again and hopefully we can keep that in the final six games."