Bristol City beat Middlesbrough without head coach Liam Manning

Bristol City produced a performance to make absent head coach Liam Manning proud as they won 2-0 at Middlesbrough.

Manning is currently away from the club following the death of his baby son Theo, with assistant head coach Chris Hogg leading the team at the Riverside Stadium.

And first-half goals from Anis Mehmeti and Yu Hirakawa ensured City extended their unbeaten run to five matches.

Mehmeti hammered in the first in the 27th minute before Japanese winger Hirakawa curled in a lovely finish at the end of the first half.

Boro fans showed their frustrations at the end of both halves after watching their team struggle to turn possession and opportunities into goals.

Ninth-placed Boro, who are now level on points with Bristol City, had two thirds of the ball before the break and created plenty of openings, even before Mehmeti’s breakthrough.

Finn Azaz curled an effort wide of the far post inside five minutes and he laid on a second opportunity for Emmanuel Latte Lath soon after, but the striker’s finish was wide.

And when Hayden Hackney’s lazy pass to Aidan Morris was collected by Jason Knight with the half-an-hour mark approaching, City capitalised.

Knight’s pass to Mehmeti was controlled first, beating Hackney in the area, and the finish was powerful beyond the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Seny Dieng in the centre of the net.

Even then Middlesbrough kept probing. Latte Lath missed the target after he was picked out by Rav van den Berg, while City goalkeeper Max O’Leary denied the lively Ben Doak.

There was a sense that Middlesbrough had to convert or be hit on the break and that was exactly what happened on the stroke of half-time.

This time defender George Edmundson was caught out deep in his own half and Bristol City skipper Knight charged through. When he was thwarted the ball fell invitingly for Hirakawa to curl his first goal for the club inside the far post.

With half an hour remaining Boro head coach Michael Carrick made a double change. Former Bristol City forward Tommy Conway and Delano Burgzorg were introduced for Azaz and Micah Hamilton.

More Middlesbrough pressure and possession followed, but Bristol City defended superbly and that was epitomised by defender Zak Vyner throwing himself to block an effort from Latte Lath.

Burgzorg also hammered an effort into the arms of O’Leary and Doak struck an effort inches wide, while Carrick made a further two attacking substitutions, but still Bristol City held firm.