BEFORE the game, Chris Wilder had challenged his refreshed Middlesbrough players to be more clinical in front of goal going into the remaining games. They answered that call in emphatic style at London Road putting four passed a struggling Peterborough United in style as they climb back into the Championship top six.

It’s a result that also sees them lay to some demons to rest as they win back-to-back away games in the league.

The Posh had an opening handed to them when Dael Fry’s short pass was intercepted by Johnson Clarke-Harris. Their top scorer, who has nine to his name this season, couldn’t make the chance count as he drilled wide from the edge of the box.

Boro’s presence in the game grew from that half chance for Peterborough. After a neat one-two between Marcus Tavernier and Marc Bola, the full-backs cutback fell to Matt Crooks on the edge of the box. His curling shot deflected wide as appeals for hand ball fell on the referee’s deaf ears.

Boro handed another opportunity for the home side. Joe Lumley came long and won a tackle on Clarke-Harris but the ball fell to Jack Marriott who struck first time from the half way line. Paddy McNair was on hand to track back and hack the ball away from goal.

Boro’s persistence paid off as Tavernier scored his third goal of the season in style. From McNair’s lay off, he swept the ball into the far right corner with a bending shot that left Dia Cornell rooted to his spot. A striker to remember for Boro’s number seven.

Chris Wilder’s side started to dominate the game. Josh Knight was on hand to rescue Peterborough United from making it two. After Aaron Connolly chased a long ball, he nicked it away from the keeper at the byline and cut back to Balogun but his low effort was blocked on the line by the centre-half.

Boro were once again living dangerously at the back and just about dealt with a long ball over the top as Joe Lumley blocked the ball away from Sammie Szmodics. The keeper was then on hand to block a point blank effort from a corner into the box as the home side tried to scramble the ball over the line. McNair was on hand to clear downfield.

But while Peterborough had their chances, they were there for the taking and Boro were inches from another goal right before the break. Connolly did brilliantly well to chase down a long ball, beat Knight down the line and cross into the box but the delivery just missed Jonny Howson who had bombed forward from midfield.

Wilder’s side were just missing that killer instinct in front of goal. Step forward Balogun who had scored five in five for club and country. Howson bombed forward from the right and dinked a ball into the box for Connolly. The bounce escaped the Irishman and went all the way through to the Arsenal loanee who latched onto the ball first time to slot home for his sixth in as many games.

The only way that Peterborough were going to get back into the game was if Boro kept giving them the chances to. It happened again as Dael Fry prodded a ball back to Lumley after pressure from Ricky Jade-Jones. In an attempt to keep the ball in player, the keeper palmed the ball straight back to Jones but Dijksteel recovered in time to stop him from scoring into an open goal. It was a chance that fell under the ‘what happened there?’ category.

The game petered out for the next 20 minutes before a combination of Boro substitutes brought it back into life. The industrious Duncan Watmore drove down the left hand side right to the byline before cutting back to Josh Coburn. The ball bounced off the striker and nestled home from close range as he scored his fifth of the season.

Watmore went from provider to finisher as the striker rounded off the brilliant day for Boro in style. After bursting through the Peterborough defence, he took the ball on and lashed the ball high into the net.

Wilder’s side were serenaded by the sold out travelling support of over 3,500 fans as they walked away from London Road with their highest scoring result of the season. Eight games to go as they come back from the international break in style.