Full-time: Fulham 4 Middlesbrough 3

MIDDLESBROUGH’S hope of securing one of the Championship’s automatic promotion places suffered a massive blow at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

After Watford had taken a giant step towards the Premier League by extending their lead at the top by defeating Brighton at lunch-time, Boro could not follow suit and win at Fulham.

A second half hat-trick from former Middlesbrough target Ross McCormack – two were penalties in the 55th and 67th minutes - did the damage after Fulham had taken the lead seconds before half-time through the head of Michael Turner.

Boro, reduced to ten men because of George Friend’s foul on Hugo Rodallega that led to the second spot-kick, fought back and grabbed goals of their own through Adam Reach (63) and Daniel Ayala (73) to make for an incredible finish.

And when Kike glanced in a header to equalise two minutes before the end, Middlesbrough sensed an unlikely win was on the cards so sent up goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos for a stoppage time corner.

The move backfired as Fulham broke and McCormack eventually rounded the keeper and tapped in to an empty net to send Boro down to third, knowing they can no longer finish top two if Bournemouth beat Bolton on Monday.

Middlesbrough, who included Patrick Bamford, Jelle Vossen and Albert Adomah despite injury concerns in the last week, started brightly enough and could have had an early goal.

But Grant Leadbitter’s clever free-kick, when he flicked up Lee Tomlin’s pass and volleyed dipped just over the bar.

There was also a Friend effort which rolled wide from distance after he was allowed run deep in to the home side’s half, but there was not enough threat posed on Marcus Bettinelli’s goal before half-time.

But Fulham did look dangerous themselves, clearly relieved to have had their Championship status secured in midweek and they created the best of the chances before the opener.

When Danny Guthrie dispossessed Adam Clayton onn the edge of the Middlesbrough box, the former Newcastle midfielder fed Hugo Rodallega but Konstantopoulos somehow got down low to turn the striker’s low shot away with a strong arm.

Better was to come from Konstantopoulos after half-time when he somehow jumped to his right to palm down a header from Rodallega which seemed a certain goal, but by that time Fulham had already taken the lead.

There was a hint of offside about it, but Turner was on hand in the six yard box to glance Shaun Hutchinson’s goalbound header from Bryan Ruiz’s short corner beyond Middlesbrough’s Greek goalkeeper.

The visitors started the second half brighter but Fulham still looked more dangerous and, seconds after a penalty box scramble ended favourably for Middlesbrough when the Cottagers looked like they would score, they did find the net again nine minutes after the break.

McCormack was shoved to the floor by Ayala and the Scotland striker picked himself up and sent Konstantopoulos the wrong way.

Despite being a man down, Middlesbrough showed the fighting spirit to get back in to again and when Ayala was left free to head in Albert Adomah’s cross it was game on again.

That led to Karanka bringing on Reach, Kike and Forshaw all at the same time and the decision brought immediate rewards with Reach’s hopeful shot from 22 yards finding its way beyond Bettinelli.

Three minutes later Fulham were two ahead again. Friend was the guilty party this time, tripping Rodallega in the box and he was the last man so received the red, and McCormack converted in the other corner.

But then Middlesbrough’s response was brilliant. Ayala headed in Adomah’s cross and, with time running out, Kike looked to have nicked a point when he glanced in a lovely header to level.

Then McCormack struck late to break the 4,000 strong travelling support’s hearts as the play-offs loom.

FULHAM (4-1-3-2): Bettinelli; Hoogland, Turner, Hutchinson, Richards; Guthrie (Fofana 76); Kavanagh, Tunnicliffe, Ruiz (Woodrow 81); McCormack, Rodallega (Smith 87). Subs: Kiraly (gk), Roberts, Voser, Burn.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos; Fredericks (Reach 61), Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Clayton (Forshaw 61), Leadbitter; Adomah, Vossen (Kike 61), Tomlin; Bamford. Subs: Ripley (gk), Whitehead, Tiendalli, Nsue.