AITOR KARANKA thinks Middlesbrough fans are will have to get used to being patient at the Riverside Stadium after overseeing what he described as an almost perfect performance.

Boro collected three points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Charlton on Teesside this afternoon but they had to wait until the hour before David Nugent opened the scoring.

The Addicks, searching for a first win in ten, arrived in the North-East with an intention to shut up shop under interim boss Karel Fraeye and had threatened to leave with something.

But after Nugent’s 60th minute opener Middlesbrough added further goals from Albert Adomah six minutes later and Daniel Ayala with two minutes remaining.

“I knew it wouldn’t be an easy game because it is difficult after playing Manchester Untied in midweek. You can’t go out there thinking it will be easy,” said Karanka.

“The first goal was the key. When you get it, the game is easier. When you get the first, the second and third will come.

“We played very well in the first half, but I said at the interval that we had to keep going at the same intensity.

“I think it was almost perfect. We can always improve, but we’ve won, kept another clean sheet and players with four bookings didn’t get a yellow card.”

Middlesbrough made plenty of changes and yet still clinched a consecutive victory in the league which has put them to within three points of leaders Brighton.

“I was thinking about the bookings, Dani Ayala, Adam Clayton, Diego Fabbrini and Grant Leadbitter all on four bookings and one away from a suspension,” said Karanka.

“But the main thing is to manage the game, I never think about the following game. Now I can think about Rotherham, but this was really important to win the game.

“It shows how compact we are as a team, as a squad, that players can come in and do well and we can still win. A player who only arrived five days ago like Bruno Zuculini is a big part of the squad, he has fitted in well and they are all doing really well.”

Zuculini, a loan signing from Manchester City, replaced Leadbitter at the heart of the midfield for his first start and he looked comfortable from the first whistle.

Karanka said: “Bruno knows what he needs to do. Many people maybe didn’t recognise him when we signed him but he has shown he has personality.

“He had some moments when he was passing the ball back and the crowd got impatient but the following play he took the ball and showed his personality. That is why I brought him here because he is a good player with personality.”

HOW TWITTER REACTED TO THE WIN:

UTB ‏@moggga  

On the eighth day, God made Daniel Ayala #boro #utb #ayala #beast

Neil Grainger ‏@GraingerNeil  

Today was a hard fought match against terrible opposition but we got through it and the promotion push is well and truly back on track #utb

Lina Cox ‏@monkeys4sailing 

Woke up 5am in France, drove 300 miles, flew 1000, drove 200, sprinted in the Riverside to catch last 5 mns of the match,100% worth it! #UTB

Gary Evans ‏@FatHeadedCornet  

Respect to the @CAFCofficial fans today! 500 mile round trip to watch possibly the worst team to step foot at the riverside! #UTB #HardTimes

Joe Fawcett ‏@_JoeFawcett_ 

This season @Clayts15 has been an absolute joy to watch, pure class #UTB

Sean Mack ‏@MackBoro  

Another great victory for the Boro! First half wasn't pretty but once we got the first goal it killed the game plan for Charlton. #UTB