LONDON, Oct 18, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Middlesbrough returned to the top of the English Championship with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Ipswich on Friday.

Ipswich missed the chance to take the lead when George Hirst's penalty was saved by Sol Brynn and the home team took the lead deep into first-half stoppage time when Cedric Kipre scored an own goal.

Morgan Whittaker doubled Boro's lead 10 minutes after the break and although the visitors reduced the deficit through Dara O'Shea's header, they rarely threatened to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

Victory snapped a three-game winless run for the hosts.

Ipswich had goalkeeper Alex Palmer to thank for keeping them level with a series of big saves in the first half.

They had a chance to take the lead when Callum Brittain's shirt-tug on Leif Davis won the visitors a 42nd-minute penalty but Brynn dived to his right to tip Hirst's spot-kick around the post.

In added time in the first half, Delano Burgzorg wriggled around the left edge of the Ipswich defence and delivered a harmless-looking cross that took a slight deflection and dribbled into the net off the unfortunate Kipre.

Rob Edwards's Boro had the momentum at the start of the second half and doubled their lead in the 55th minute, with Whittaker lashing home his first goal for Boro.

Ipswich reduced the deficit when O'Shea glanced home a 76th-minute header from a corner but it did not ignite the expected spell of Ipswich pressure and Boro closed out the game relatively comfortably.

The win takes Middlesbrough two points clear of Coventry, who host Blackburn on Saturday.