Marcus Tavernier scored a superb goal to put Boro in front for the first time
Neil Warnock's Middlesbrough moved within a point of the play-off places after coming from behind to beat struggling Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.
Boro were jolted into life by Uche Ikpeazu's early goal for the home side, curled beyond Marcus Bettinelli after neat footwork, and goals from Marcus Browne, Marcus Tavernier and Chuba Akpom turned the game the Teessiders' way.
Browne headed in a Paddy McNair corner from the left to square it up, and Tavernier cracked in a second, teasing his way into the box before fizzing a low drive past goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.
Wanderers returned for the second half fired up as they made a bid to climb off the foot of the table, and twice hit the woodwork through Scott Kashket's swerving drive and a Ryan Tafazolli header.
The visitors finished it off late on when a superb McNair corner viciously swung into the near post and bounced out for the former Arsenal man Akpom to fire home and secure the points.
- Relive Saturday's EFL action
Wycombe's midweek win over Cardiff had lifted spirits at Adams Park and their early breakthrough for former Hearts striker Ikpeazu triggered hopes they could climb off the foot of the table.
With Rotherham not playing and Derby beaten on Friday night, the Buckinghamshire side had hoped to reel in the sides above them, but this loss keeps them at the foot of the table - four points below Sheffield Wednesday in 21st.
But Boro are made of tougher stuff under wily veteran Warnock and are looking up at possible promotion rather than engaging in the kind of relegation battle which he inherited last season.
Defeat by a revived Wednesday in midweek ended a three-game winning run but an immediate bounce back to victory leaves Boro in seventh, top of the chasing pack in a congested top end of the table.
Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"Neil Warnock's got 1,000 plus games under his belt, promotions aplenty and you can see why. They're a solid, organised, grafting outfit that get set-plays and grind you down.
"We've come up against an outfit who are very similar to ourselves in Leagues One and Two. They were great, we were second best today and I've not said that too often this season.
"It wasn't a lack of effort - it never is - but they were savvy, they did what they do really well. I expect Middlesbrough to be up and around it at the end of the season so it's not a huge whack, but we've got to start getting some points on the board to get above this line."
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsWycombe
- 1Allsop2Grimmer12KnightBooked at 70mins6Tafazolli3Jacobson7Wheeler18ThompsonSubstituted forAdeniranat 69'minutes33MehmetiBooked at 43minsSubstituted forKashketat 58'minutes17HorganSubstituted forOnyedinmaat 77'minutes9IkpeazuSubstituted forAkinfenwaat 77'minutes19McCleary
Substitutes
- 8Pattison10Bloomfield11Kashket20Akinfenwa23Onyedinma24Adeniran25Samuel26McCarthy31Stockdale
Middlesbrough
- 1BettinelliBooked at 69mins2Dijksteel6Fry17McNair27BolaBooked at 65mins5Morsy22Saville12BrowneSubstituted forSpenceat 71'minutes7TavernierBooked at 83mins3Johnson10AkpomSubstituted forAssombalongaat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Wing9Assombalonga15Wood18Watmore19Roberts29Spence31Brynn33Coulson
Referee:Jarred GillettMatch StatsHome TeamWycombeAway TeamMiddlesbroughPossessionHome41%Away59%ShotsHome12Away21Shots on TargetHome2Away7CornersHome6Away10FoulsHome14Away9Live TextPost update
Match ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Middlesbrough 3.
90'+5'Full Time
Second Half ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Middlesbrough 3.
90'+4'Post update
Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers).
90'+4'Post update
Attempt blocked. Marvin Johnson (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
90'+4'Post update
Attempt blocked. Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Djed Spence.
90'+3'Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Marc Bola tries a through ball, but Marvin Johnson is caught offside.
90'+2'Post update
Attempt missed. David Wheeler (Wycombe Wanderers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Joe Jacobson with a cross following a corner.
90'+2'Post update
Corner, Wycombe Wanderers. Conceded by Dael Fry.
90'Post update
Foul by Sam Morsy (Middlesbrough).
90'Post update
Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'Post update
Hand ball by Fred Onyedinma (Wycombe Wanderers).
89'Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Britt Assombalonga replaces Chuba Akpom.
88'Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Garath McCleary.
88'Post update
Attempt blocked. Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
87'Post update
Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
87'Post update
Foul by Josh Knight (Wycombe Wanderers).
86'Post update
George Saville (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'Post update
Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers).
83'Booking
Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Source: bbc.com