MIDDLESBROUGH ruined Aitor Karanka’s first return to the Riverside Stadium by delivering the win that keeps them in the Championship play-off places.

And it was two of the men who he had disagreements with during his time on Teesside that struck the crucial blows before half-time to put Boro on course for the points.

Daniel Ayala grabbed the first in the seventh minute with a fine finish before Stewart Downing drilled in the second just after the half hour mark.

Nottingham Forest, Karanka’s first job since leaving Middlesbrough in March last year, struggled to get into the game and never looked like causing the home side serious problems.

Middlesbrough remain a point clear in the final play-off spot, even though Millwall kept up the pressure by beating promotion rivals Bristol City.

Forest, nine points clear of the bottom three, have very little to play for other than pride for the rest of the season and it was a very lacklustre display from them.

Karanka chose not to make a song and dance about his return too, walking in quietly from the tunnel before the game kicked off. The Spaniard did receive a touching reception from the Middlesbrough fans soon after Ayala had put the ball in the net.

Ayala’s fifth goal of the season was his best. Standing with his back to goal, the Middlesbrough defender turned and then struck a sweet finish inside the top corner from 12 yards after Forest had failed to deal with a corner.

Even though the game was tame for a spell after that, Middlesbrough it was who took command in the 31st minute. Forest, who have conceded more goals than anyone else in the division from corners, conceded again from a corner.

Grant Leadbitter’s flag-kick was flicked on by Ayala. Even though it was half cleared, the ball rolled invitingly for Downing to pounce and drill a low effort inside Costel Pantilimon’s bottom right.

There was almost a third soon after when George Friend had a header cleared off the line.

Forest had a late surge with four corners in the final stages of the first half but the nearest they came to scoring was when former Middlesbrough playmaker Lee Tomlin forced Darren Randolph into a low save from distance.

After the break Ayala went close to adding a third when his overhead kick, from another poorly defended corner, flew over the bar, while Forest had a decent claim for a penalty waved away when Friend’s arm got in the way of a Tomlin effort.

That penalty shout arrived during the visitors’ best spell of the game but Randolph was still not really asked serious questions.

In fact it was Middlesbrough in the end who went closest to changing the scoreline. Former Forest striker Britt Assombalonga, who replaced the relatively quiet Adama Traore, poked an effort wide when he claimed he was pulled back.

Assombalonga also had a couple more efforts and created one for Bamford but the score remained the same.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-1-4-1): Randolph; Shotton, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Leadbitter; Traore (Assombalonga 81), Howson, Besic (Clayton 63), Downing; Bamford (Cranie 89). Subs (not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Fabio, Fry, Clayton, Harrison.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Pantilimon; Darikwa, Figueiredo, Fox, Osborn; Watson, Colback; Lolley, Tomlin, Dowell (McKay 59); Velios (Brereton 5). Subs (not used): Kapino (gk), Lichaj, Mancienne, Guedioura, Bridcutt.