Latte Lath double for Boro sinks Swansea

Emmanuel Latte Lath has scored 12 goals in 31 appearances this season

Emmanuel Latte Lath scored twice as Middlesbrough kept their promotion hopes alive with a 2-0 win over a lacklustre Swansea City.

The hosts went in front in first-half stoppage time as Latte Lath fired through a crowd.

An excellent curling effort on 79 minutes sealed the win that keeps Boro six points off a play-off spot.

Swansea are five points clear of the drop zone in 15th spot in the Championship, with Middlesbrough rising to eighth.

Middlesbrough were deserved winners in a contest where neither side were at their best, with Latte Lath proving the key difference between the sides.

The home side came into this contest on their longest unbeaten streak in the league since October, having won four of their last six Championship games.

Swansea travelled to Teesside having lost their last three away league matches at the Riverside Stadium, and another defeat means they are still looking over their shoulders in the Championship.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick named an unchanged side from the 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, while Swansea head coach Luke Williams made two changes from the 1-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers with Jay Fulton and Jamie Paterson both given recalls.

The Welsh side were second best in a one-sided first half as the hosts dominated and created several decent opportunities before Latte Lath opened the scoring in stoppage time.

The Ivorian forward might have opened the scoring on seven minutes from Matt Clarke's ball over the Swansea defence, but Carl Rushworth saved smartly to deny him.

Swansea did threaten on occasion with winger Ronald their chief threat, but Jerry Yates headed wide from his teasing cross on 13 minutes, with Ronald dragging a shot just wide on 27 minutes.

The hosts looked the likelier scorers and Latte Lath turned provider for Isaiah Jones, but he fired over the crossbar, with Finn Azaz and Matt Clarke also failed to hit the target with decent opportunities.

Latte Lath was providing a focal point for the hosts and he headed wide from crosses by Sam Greenwood and Luke Ayling as Swansea failed to keep close enough to him.

That pressure eventually told in first-half stoppage time when Latte Lath wriggled free in a crowded penalty area and managed to find the corner of the net with a precise finish.

The visitors improved after the break and were almost gifted an early equaliser when Daniel Barlaser's wayward backpass went just wide, while Jamal Lowe also saw an effort saved by Seny Dieng.

However, the hosts kept pushing for a second goal and Latte Lath again headed wide from a Greenwood cross as Swansea struggled to contain him.

The pressure finally told on 79 minutes as Azaz's composed play freed Latte Lath to cut inside and curl the ball past Rushworth.