Middlesbrough returned to second place in the Championship with a 2-1 comeback win at Stoke City, with Tommy Conway scoring the decisive goal.

Kim Hellberg's side were overtaken by Ipswich Town on Tuesday as the Tractor Boys beat Bristol City 2-0, and with leaders Coventry City also victorious, they were nine points off top spot.

They fell behind to Tomas Rigo's 15th-minute strike on Wednesday, which bounced in front of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn and squirmed past him.

Stoke, who have been struck by an injury crisis, missed a couple of big chances to double their advantage, and they were made to pay in the second half.

Alan Browne made no mistake on the rebound after Hayden Hackney had a shot parried by Tommy Simkin three minutes into the second half, then Conway found the net on the turn from Browne's cross 11 minutes later.

Stoke defender Bosun Lawal saw red for two bookable offences late on as the Potters missed the chance to climb back into the play-off places. They sit eighth in the table, while Boro are two points clear of third-placed Ipswich.

Watford are a single point above Stoke, having played out a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth at Vicarage Road.

Mamadou Doumbia equalised 11 minutes from time for the Hornets, cancelling out Adrian Segecic's strike just six minutes earlier.

In Wednesday's third match, Sheffield United slipped to a third successive defeat, going down 1-0 to Southampton at St Mary's.

Leo Scienza's seventh-minute strike, which deflected in off Oli Arblaster, was enough for the Saints to earn their first win since December 9, pulling them four points clear of Sheffield United in the table.

Data Debrief: Boro go back-to-back after 70-year wait

Middlesbrough have now won on back-to-back league visits to Stoke for only the second time in their history, having only previously done so in March 1956.

It was a hard-fought game at the bet365 Stadium, but Boro edged the expected goals (xG) battle by 1.22 to 0.81, also having more shots (16 to 10) and shots on target (seven to four).

Elsewhere, Southampton's victory over Sheffield United was their sixth in a row against the Blades. 

Sheffield United are only the fourth side to lose six or more games in a row to the Saints, after Hull City (six from 2011 to 2015), Crystal Palace twice (six from 1955 to 1958, seven from 2009 to 2015), and Newport County (eight from 1922 to 1955).