Middlesbrough 4-0 Preston North End: Boro dismantle Preston in a crucial Championship promotion match

Middlesbrough produced a thumping 4-0 win against out-of-form Preston North End in the Sky Bet Championship at the Riverside on Saturday.

Goals from Alan Browne, Morgan Whittaker and a double from in-form Tommy Conway emphatically saw off Preston, who also suffered a second-half red card for Jordan Storey.

KIM HELLBERG’S RED AND WHITE ARMY! 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/R8maVDlR1U

— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) January 24, 2026

Kim Hellberg’s men went into the game off the back of three consecutive wins, as they attempted to put pressure on Coventry at the top of the Championship.

They began the game with real authority and it came to a deserved lead after only 10 minutes played. A ball over the top of the defence from Matt Targett found Browne in space and he comfortably slotted the ball past the isolated Jack Walton.

Conway doubled the Teesiders’ lead just before the half-hour mark.  Luke Ayling’s curling ball found Conway on the right hand side, and he managed to reach the Preston box unmarked before coolly putting it through the legs of the keeper.

Boro’s lead was extended to three on the stroke of half time, when Whittaker dispossessed Preston defender Lewis Gibson in his own box and drove his shot passed Walton.

Preston’s day went from bad to worse when Conway stole the ball from Jordan Storey, who was last man, and he pulled him down. The referee had no choice but to send Storey off just before the hour mark.

Boro took advantage of the numerical disadvantage only four minutes later. Leo Castledine’s whipped free-kick was spilled by Walton and fell straight to Conway who was able to pass it into the empty net.

For Boro, the win keeps them second in the table, three points away from league leaders Coventry and five points ahead of third-placed Ipswich who got beat by Sheffield United.

Boro play Norwich at the Riverside next Saturday at 3:00.