MIDDLESBROUGH manager Garry Monk thinks his players deserve credit for coming from behind twice to claim a valuable home victory over Queens Park Rangers.

Monk paid tribute to his team for securing a 3-2 victory at the end of a tough week when they had to grind out a goalless draw at Aston Villa with ten men – and lose Adama Traore to a three-match ban.

Boro are within a point of the play-off places despite falling behind early in each half courtesy of goals from David Wheeler – signed from Exeter last month - and Jamie Mackie (50).

Lewis Baker (36) and Ashley Fletcher (56) made sure things were levelled up on both occasions before Britt Assombalonga dived into head his fifth goal since moving from Nottingham Forest on the hour.

Monk said: “We are very pleased with the result in the end, first half QPR came with a plan to try to frustrate and slow things down.

“We gifted them the first goal and made it difficult for us. We didn’t affect the game how we wanted to. We were disappointed at half-time and second half we changed a couple of things.

“That put us on the front foot but we made another mistake from an avoidable goal. Credit to the players to face those situations, we had a good 25 minute period where we got our lead and if anything we should have extended that after that.

“In account of all that we have had a hard week. There is always a debate in my mind, that freshness, physical side of it, should you change things?

“But they deserved to play in that game. Credit to those that did. It’s an important trait to win when you are not at your best, we were clinical in the right areas at the right times.”