After starting last season as promotion favourties, a poor run of results resulted in former boss Gordon Strachan's resignation from the Riverside Stadium.

Taking charge as the club lay near the foot of the table, former Celtic manager Tony Mowbray led Boro back up the Championship to a top-half finish after taking maximum points from their final four games.

On the back of the first half of Mowbray's first full season at the Riverside, Sports Mole takes a look back at the club's campaign so far.

August

Middlesbrough began their season with a 2-2 tie at Fratton Park, before running off five consecutive victories – four of which were on the road, three of which were clean sheets – in both league and cup competition.

Mowbray finished his first month in charge by holding on for a share of the spoils against Coventry at the Riverside. The result left them sitting comfortably in fourth place in the league and two points adrift of leaders Brighton.

September

The club carried their unbeaten start into the second month of the season with a win at Turf Moor, before facing back to back trips to Selhurst back in the league and Carling Cup.

However, while Boro beat Dougie Freedman's side in the league, Palace were able to best them in cup competition and condemn them to their first defeat in ten games.

Following the loss, the club secured consecutive goalless draws at home to continue their unbeaten run in the league and enter October in second place.

October

Mowbray and company made it three goalless games on the bounce at the Madejski Stadium, before Barry Robson scored their first goal in four in a 1-1 tie at home to strugglers Millwall.

Nottingham Forest finally ended the club's undefeated start to the season after a run of 11 games at the City Ground. Triumph over Derby County drove Middlesbrough into second place, before a loss to leaders Southampton sent them back to fourth.

November

Boro bounced back with a win over bottom-of-the-league Doncaster at the Keepmoat Stadium, before beating Watford at home to remain within six points of Southampton in first place.

However, back-to-back draws with Blackpool and at Peterborough increased the deficit to seven points as Boro slipped into fourth.

Making matters worse, West Ham handed them their first home defeat of the season – and their third in eight games – heading into December.

December

Faced with a ten-point deficit with Christmas coming up, the Riverside outfit were able to get back on track with a win on the road at Ashton Gate against Derek McInnes's struggling Bristol.

Back into third, Boro were able to knock off three promotion candidates in a row.

Wins at home over Brighton, at Cardiff and against Hull helped Middlesbrough gain ground on the league leaders, leaving them level on points with second-placed West Ham and three points adrift of Southampton.