DARKO GYABI downed second-placed Middlesbrough as Hull City moved to within two points of their rivals.
The 21-year-old struck the only goal as the Tigers extended their unbeaten run to five to bolster their promotion hopes.
But it was another evening of frustration for Boro and Kim Hellberg as they fired a third straight blank to leave them looking anxiously over their shoulders.
There is nothing like a baltic, wet, late December Monday night down at the Riverside to bring you crashing back down to Earth after Christmas.
It was supposed to be the season of goodwill by the Tees under new Swedish boss Hellberg.
Starting with four straight wins after replacing Rob Edwards, including a 4-1 thumping dished out to the Tigers on Humberside a mere 24 days ago, a Scandinavian storm threatened to sweep through the Championship.
A fortnight ago they found themselves seven points clear in the automatic promotion spots. Now hopes of ending a nine-year exile from the Premier League could be in the bin before the decorations are even down.
They were 4-0 up by half time back in that reverse fixture. But this time it was the Tigers who pounced quickly to stretch Boro’s worrying winless winter wobble to three games.
Though things did not start smoothly for Sergej Jakirovic’s men – and you would not blame his full-back Ryan Giles if he never wanted to see this place again.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a fruitful loan spell on Teesside back in 2023. But after returning for what transpired to be a failed stint last season, his first start at his old stomping ground since scoring a last-minute own goal to hand Sunderland a 3-2 derby victory in February ended in more pain.
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Giles, who has eight assists already to his name, hobbled off seconds in after innocuously hurting his knee playing a pass, and with it went one of Hull’s main supply lines.
But Hellberg had defensive issues of his own with a host sidelined through injury. And it was makeshift centre-back Matt Targett who was twisted silly for Hull’s opener.
Kyle Joseph spun away from the on-loan Newcastle left-back and got past ‘keeper Sol Brynn, keeping the ball in on the byline and rolling it to Gyabi to slot home.
That ended the midfielder’s ten-game barren run and put the visitors firmly in the driving seat.
‘Hell-ball’ was just turning into pure hell for the frustrated locals. The Reds huffed and puffed to find a way back. Hayden Hackney, who got the crowd going by hitting the post from an offside position with the game goalless, was the main architect but he just could not get his team-mates going.
A tame appeal for a penalty by Morgan Whittaker, claiming a pull by away skipper Lewie Coyle, was about the best they offered until Tommy Conway fired straight at Ivor Pandur from Hackney’s cross.
It is just one goal in 19, a penalty against QPR, now for the forward as his hopes of making Scotland’s World Cup squad continue to fade.
Boro captain Hackney, 23, showed why several top-flight clubs are continuing to monitor him closely as he almost single-handedly attempted to drag the hosts back into it, fizzing one straight down Pandur’s throat.
By the hour mark Hellberg had watched enough. Delano Burgzorg, Aidan Morris and Sontje Hansen entered the fray in place of ineffectual trio Kaly Sene, Alan Browne and Alex Gilbert.
The pressure was mounting, but despite the endless banging of the ball into the box, Boro could not get through the sea of Hull bodies, with Charlie Hughes the standout.
Finally, they got their opening. John Egan’s clearance fell perfectly for Burgzorg, only Pandur came to his side’s rescue with a brilliant low stop.
The Croat was at it again, pushing over Burgzorg’s mishit lob as Boro continued to bang on the door.
But nobody was home. And Hellberg’s misfiring mob now head to Derby County on New Year’s Day looking nervously downwards at Ipswich, who won 2-0 at table-toppers Coventry earlier, and Hull.
