GOALS might win matches but there is no disputing just how important a goalkeeper is to a team, and Middlesbrough’s defenders wouldn’t swap Darren Randolph for any other in the Championship.

That was certainly the impression from young defender Dael Fry when he chatted after Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers, when yet again Randolph displayed his quality between the posts to preserve his net once again.

In making a few good saves, and particularly one in each half from Eberechi Eze and Nahki Wells, Randolph kept his 14th clean sheet of the season; that’s two more than Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson and nobody else is any closer.

In keeping consecutive clean sheets at Blackburn, where he also made an important late save to secure three points, and against QPR, he has maintained an impressive record of conceding just 24 goals from 33 games – and that is fewer than any other team in the Football League.

The Pulis way might draw criticism from many supporters, but the reality is that it can get results – and continuing to do so in a division that is particularly hard to get out of.

And in Randolph, who has only conceded twice in a game since QPR knocked two past him at Loftus Road in mid-December, his team-mates have a shot-stopper and a figure behind them that can be relied on.

“The saves he has made have been terrific,” said Fry. “I can’t remember how many times I have turned around and thought it was flying in the top corner and he has got there. There was one against Sheffield United a few weeks ago.

“He is a great keeper and one of the best we have had. The points he has saved us and could save us will be crucial. If Darren keeps performing the way he is he will be vital to the promotion push.

“It gives the team a boost when he makes saves and I think we went two up when he saved one. It gives us all the confidence to stay concentrated. Darren has been unbelievable.”

Randolph has been there and done it already, having taken in the Premier League and Championship as well as holding down the No 1 shirt for the Republic of Ireland.

The 31-year-old is also perfect for helping the likes of Fry, 21, develop his game, and that was reflected against QPR when the young defender shone on the left of a three.

Fry said: “Darren is always talking to me, always shouting, and that from a keeper is really good. At times you can switch off so when you hear your name it’s nice because it’s a reminder.

“You can hear him all the time on the pitch but off the pitch he is helping. Even when we have a free-kick and it has been stopped, he will talk about an incident before that like shuffling over or whatever it is he says. He’s ideal for me and others.”

While Fry does not prefer to play on the left-side, and is more comfortable on the right, he was effective alongside Ryan Shotton after being asked to switch sides due to the absence of Aden Flint and George Friend.

Defensively Middlesbrough were sound again and they are really benefitting as a team for having the consistently impressive John Obi Mikel playing in front of them at the hub of the midfield.

What Mikel’s introduction to the team has also led to is the Lewis Wing and Mo Besic combination around him, while wing-backs Jonny Howson and George Saville – normally playing in the middle – are impressing down the wings.

There is a sense of a greater balance all of a sudden, having had to endure months of criticism for packing the team with midfielders and centre-backs.

Fry said: “There are a few fresh legs in the team now, players are really eager to show what they can do when they get out there.

“I think John playing in front of the back four is making us play out from the back more, and then we have Mo and Lewis that are attacking. Lewis is not afraid to have a shot.

“We needed a bit of confidence, we had to realise there was nothing wrong with going square at the back. You can attack down both flanks because we have really good players in this squad.”

Even though there has been a degree of trepidation building up to home dates because of the number of times they have failed to win at the Riverside this season, it took less than two minutes for Middlesbrough to create the first chance. And they scored from it.

Besic was the architect, spinning and spotting Howson’s little run into the penalty area and delivering a perfect chip from deep in the QPR half. Howson just got to the ball ahead of goalkeeper Joe Lumley and did enough to force it over the line.

But Middlesbrough have often struggled to capitalise and a second goal was required to take away some of the nerves. After Eze had forced Randolph into his first save at his near post almost immediately after the restart, Boro took command and never looked flustered.

And then Besic, who had already ran at pace towards the QPR box and drilled an effort just wide, found space in the visitors half to charge into and roll a pass into the feet of Ashley Fletcher on the left.

The £6.5m striker, starting his second successive game alongside Britt Assombalonga in a partnership that has helped the team become more adventurous and fluent in attack, then shifted the ball to his left and fired in a thunderous left foot strike inside Lumley’s top left corner.

Fletcher hammered that away like a striker who had 20 goals to his name, not one who had just found the net for only the second time in a Boro shirt since leaving West Ham in the summer of 2017.

His performance, and goal, earned a standing ovation from fans.

Fry said: “We are really delighted for Fletcher as players.

“When he has been called up in recent games he has shown great link up play, he has had shots, had chances, and he has tested the keeper more this time and got the goal.

“His attitude has been fantastic and he has been great as well. It was a great finish. He does that all of the time in training so the lads know his quality, I am really pleased for him, we all are.”

QPR were disappointing and showed why they have now lost a club record seven games in a row, which also represented the worst run Steve McClaren has endured his managerial career too.

It was not the ideal way for him to return to the Riverside, and there was never really any sense that he could mastermind a comeback to bring back memories of Spirit of Steaua en route to the UEFA Cup final in 2006.

Boro’s challenge is to build on a first home win in the league of 2019, finally improving on a run that now reads three wins from their last 12 league games on Teesside.

“Our away form is really good,” said Fry, ahead of a trip to Wigan next weekend buoyed by back-to-back wins to stay firmly in the promotion picture.

“We have just needed to do more at home and we have been aware of that.

“A 2-0 win hopefully can help us go into the next two home games and make it more of a fortress.”