DAVID NUGENT believes that consistency is key if Middlesbrough are to be successful in their bid to gain promotion to the Premier League.

Nugent opened the scoring for Boro in their 3-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday, which cut the gap from leaders Brighton and Hove Albion to one point and opened up a five-point advantage over third-placed Reading – who the Teessiders visit on Saturday.

Victory was Middlesbrough’s seventh in a row in all competitions and Nugent, who was part of the Leicester City team that was promoted in 2014, knows that maintaining the form is essential to their aspirations of escaping the Championship.

“You have to be in the top two all season,” said Nugent, a £4million summer signing from the Foxes. “Come Christmas, you’ll know the teams that are going to be up there. We’re up there at the moment, it’ll only take one game to go on a bad run.

“We have to be consistent, keep winning games and gradually pull away from the teams below us. We’ve got a bit of a gap opening up now, we have a chance to make that eight which would be a nice cushion.

“We’re second now, one point behind Brighton, who drew at the weekend, and five points clear of Reading, who we meet at the weekend so there’s no better place to go. Hopefully we’ll go on and make it eight out of eight.

“We’ve won seven on the bounce. There’s no point getting carried away, it only takes one game to slip up and away from home it’s where you stay in the top two. If you can pick up a point or three away from home and win your home games you’re guaranteed to go up.

“Hopefully we can keep this run going, it’s going to come to an end in one game, but we’re all enjoying it at the moment, we’re all confident. We’re not playing our best football but we’re winning games.”

Nugent’s third-minute goal – his third in five starts for Boro – was followed by a Giuseppe Bellusci own goal while Diego Fabbrini capitalised on a costly error by Whites defender Sol Bamba to seal the victory.

But the Liverpudlian is aware that Middlesbrough will not enjoy such fortune as the season progresses, and has warned against complacency when Boro visit the Madjeski Stadium on Saturday.

“Nothing’s taken for granted in this league and we’ll go there looking for the three points,” said the 30-year-old of the Royals clash.

“Against Leeds, we took the first chance of the game when I’ve managed to nip it in, George put a great cross in for the own goal - great finish by the lad- and the third the lad’s slipped and Diego put it in the back of the net to kill the game off.

“These things are dropping for us at the moment, but we’ll have games where things aren’t going to go our way and we’ve got to fight even harder to try and ensure we get the three points.”

Nugent was singled out for special praise by head coach Aitor Karanka, who feels that the former Portsmouth and England forward’s desire and energy reflects the mentality of his team.

Nugent, who started his professional career at Bury having been released as a teenager at Liverpool, is proud of his work ethic that Karanka has clearly taken a shine to.

He added: “I’ll always work hard in games even if I’m playing well or not having the best of games, I feel as if I have to work that hard to make my presence felt.

“In the second half on Sunday half I was trying to get into the channels to cause the defenders problems. It worked in the first half but second half not so much. If something works well for the team then I’ll do it every single game.”

Meanwhile, Adam Reach made his debut for Preston North End at the weekend having made a three-month loan move to the North West.

Karanka has allowed the Chester-le-Street born midfielder to move to Deepdale as he could not guarantee first-team football, and Reach is looking forward to his spell under Simon Grayson.

“The last couple of months at Middlesbrough I’ve been in and out of the team, and I’m now looking forward to this exciting chapter in my career,” said Reach, in an interview with the Lilywhites' website.

“I played a lot of games last season, but Middlesbrough have strengthened this summer so I’ve been pushed back a little bit.

“That’s football sometimes and you’ve got to go elsewherre to play, and I want to come here and play well and help Preston out.

“Hopefully I will get some games and put in some good performances and help Preston climb the table.”