Mikael Soisalo, pictured above, struck a hat-trick as Middlesbrough secured their biggest win of the season, beating Blackburn Rovers 4-1 to move off bottom spot of Division Two.
Mid-table Blackburn had taken the lead through Corey Evans, but 14 minutes later the hosts were 2-1 up at Hartlepool after Marcus Tavernier twice set up Soisalo.
Hayden Coulson increased the lead in the second half before Soisalo wrapped up his first career treble for Boro.
See: Blackburn report
READ | Boro U23s 4 Blackburn U23s 1. Match report as Mikael Soisalo gets his first hal-trick in Boro colours. https://t.co/PsIHSe308D pic.twitter.com/Zlnz0qgA4T
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) March 13, 2017
Boro leapfrog Stoke City and Norwich City, who drew 1-1 on Saturday, and are 10th. Blackburn are seventh, five points off the promotion play-off places with three matches to play.
Middlesbrough are next in PL2 action at West Ham United’s London Stadium on Monday 10 April, but first travel to Reading in the last 16 of the Premier League Cup.
Blackburn's next match is at home to West Bromwich Albion in PL2 on 10 April.
See: PL2 tables
(Photo courtesy of Thomas Banks, Middlesbrough Football Club)
