Riley McGree and Matt Crooks earn Middlesbrough belated win

Goals from Riley McGree and Matt Crooks in the first half were enough for the three points as Joel Piroe’s late penalty handed the Swans a lifeline.

A late red card from Ben Cabango left the away side with too much to do to as they lost 2-1.

As Boro tasted victory in the Championship and ended their five-match winless run, Wilder was complimentary of the way his players got the result.

“It was a right difficult game,” he said.

“Swansea is probably the hardest game in a lot of ways. The way they play is obviously how Russell (Martin) wants his team to play. That’s really difficult to play against.

“We had to show a really disciplined side to us because when we get beat at Reading, everyone in the ground wants to go ‘come on, let’s press and get after them’. That is part of the game.

“I think we are quite good at pressing but Swansea is possibly the hardest game to play. When you’re looking at who you want to play after you have not got a result after five games, it certainly isn’t Swansea.

“I’ve said to the players it was always going to be one of those games. Whoever it was we were playing against, it was always going to be a comfortable afternoon or something happens with a penalty which I still don’t understand.”

Crooks fed a through ball to McGree who was charging into the attacking third and one touch to control the ball was followed by a calm finish into the bottom right corner.

For the first time in four league games, Boro led instead of falling behind.

A second came in quick succession but this was a well-worked move rather than a counter attack. Matt Clarke and Ryan Giles were at the heart of the build up and a neat one-two freed up the run of the full-back down the left. His cutback at the byline was met by the sliding Crooks who stretched out a toe to prod the ball into the bottom corner.

“We make a mistake and don’t react well enough to it,” concluded Swans boss Martin.

Middlesbrough: Roberts, McNair, Lenihan, Clarke, Jones, Crooks (Smith 81), Howson, Mowatt, Giles (Fry 90), McGree (Bola 82), Watmore (Muniz 57). Unused substitutes: Dijksteel, Forss, Daniels.

Swansea: Fisher, Naughton, Wood-Gordon, Cabango, Manning, Congreve (Sorinola 31), Allen (Cullen 62), Grimes, Piroe, Obafemi, Ntcham (Oliver Cooper 46). Unused substitutes: Fulton, Darling, Benda, Thomas.

Referee: R Madley (West Yorkshire).