MIDDLESBROUGH had to come from behind twice to finally overcome Queens Park Rangers at the Riverside Stadium, where Garry Monk’s men remain undefeated this season.

Boro claimed a third win from four home dates, collecting ten points from a possible 12, to stay in touch with the play-off places.

It wasn’t easy as many would have imagined against an Ian Holloway team which had not won away from Loftus Road.

Rangers took the lead twice, at the beginning of each half, when David Wheeler coasted in to score in the second minute and substitute Jamie Mackie made the most of a defensive horror show to find the net in the 50th minute.

But Middlesbrough pulled themselves level twice courtesy of Lewis Baker’s goal nine minutes before the break and Ashley Fletcher’s glancing header did the same in the 56th minute.

After that QPR pressed and threatened occasionally, as did Middlesbrough, but it was Britt Assombalonga’s diving header on the hour which separated the sides in the end.

Middlesbrough had to show they could come up with the goods without Spanish winger Adama Traore – and former Oxford United man Marvin Johnson did his very best to ensure they did with two assists.

Traore started a three-match ban for the red card he was handed at Aston Villa in midweek, and the introductions of the former Oxford man was Monk’s only change to the starting line-up.

And Middlesbrough were made to pay for a slow start when they were uncharacteristically caught napping at the back.

They might not have conceded in any of their opening three matches on home soil – and in five of their seven previous league games - but it didn’t take long for QPR to end that run.

The home defence was caught out when Luke Freeman rolled a pass into the penalty area and Wheeler arrived undetected before finishing low and beyond Darren Randolph with just 101 seconds gone.

Randolph didn’t have much to do for the remainder of the half, while his opposite number Alex Smithies didn’t look like he would be bothered too much either until the closing stages of the half.

All he had had to do before the equaliser was to hold a harmless effort from Stewart Downing, while Middlesbrough’s other best chance saw the lively Johnson shoot wide after a lovely turn in the area following a pass from Downing.

But the equaliser did come in the 36th minute. Baker, on loan from Chelsea, was picked out in acres of space by Johnson’s reverse pass and he took a touch before carefully picking out the net low and beyond Smithies.

Baker went close again before the break when Smithies, diving low to his left, turned away his half volley from the edge of the area when Middlesbrough pressed to take a lead into the break.

Middlesbrough boldly threw on forward Fletcher for the more defensively minded Adam Clayton for the second half but soon fell behind again courtesy of a horror mix-up at the back.

Mackie, who had been introduced himself at the restart, had the simple task of tapping into an empty net after Randolph and Ben Gibson got themselves in a mess just outside their own box.

The lead lasted just five minutes because Fletcher timed his run to the near post with perfection to glance in Cyrus Christie’s perfect delivery – and Middlesbrough suddenly had lift-off.

Assombalonga it was who dived to head Middlesbrough in front on the hour when Johnson picked him out with a beautiful chip into the six yard box following a run to the byline.

There were a few good chances after that, with Assombalonga wasting the best for Middlesbrough, while Pavel Wszolek crashed an effort against the post in the dying stages. Middlesbrough, though, secured the points.

Middlesbrough: (4-2-3-1): Randolph; Christie, Fry, Gibson, Fabio; Clayton (Fletcher 46), Leadbitter (Howson 56); Johnson, Baker, Downing (Forshaw 78); Assombalonga. Subs (not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Friend, Shotton, Bamford.

Queens Park Rangers: (4-2-3-1): Smithies, Furlong, Baptiste, Bidwell; Luongo, Manning; Wheeler (Sylla 67), Freeman, LuaLua (Wszolek 46); Smith (Mackie 46). Subs (not used): Lumley, Borysiuk, Ngbakoto, Osayi-Samuel.