Middlesbrough hammer Bolton 5-1 to seize Championship top spot

Boro send a promotion warning with five-goal display

Middlesbrough moved to the top of the Championship after overwhelming Bolton Wanderers 5-1 on Friday, producing a dominant performance that drew praise from pundits and left the visitors chasing shadows for long spells.

Boro registered 31 shots, with 19 arriving in the first half and 12 hitting the target. Their 4.16 expected goals reflected the volume and quality of chances created, while Bolton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made several saves to prevent an even heavier defeat.

Will Lankshear scored twice, taking his Championship total to 11 goals in 12 league appearances this season. He also has 13 goals in all competitions for Middlesbrough, having joined from Tottenham in July for an initial £10m.

‘Best team in the Championship’

Former Bolton manager Keith Hill, speaking as a BBC Radio Manchester pundit, described Middlesbrough as “special” and praised their intensity. “Their creative players are artists and so gifted,” he said, adding that Boro “work harder than almost any other Championship squad”.

Hill said that if Middlesbrough maintained that level, they would finish in the top two, and concluded: “I think the Bolton staff, players and fans know they’ve been beaten by the best team in the Championship.”

The result lifted Middlesbrough to 25 points after 12 matches. The club had the same tally at this stage last season, when they eventually finished fifth and lost the play-off final to Hull.

Lankshear praises Boro’s attacking options

Lankshear said he felt “lucky and honoured” to be part of the squad, while acknowledging he could have scored more against Bolton. He credited the service from wingers Tommy Conway and Amario Cozier-Duberry, saying he needed to get into the box to finish their work.

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Neil Maddison called it the side’s best performance under head coach Kim Hellberg. He singled out Lankshear’s movement, saying the forward was mixing up his runs and improving as the season progressed.

Hellberg praised the quality of his team’s play around the penalty area and the number of chances they created. He also highlighted the contributions of the substitutes and the support of the travelling fans after what he called a “beauty” of a performance.