Kim Hellberg sends message to Ipswich and Southampton after Watford thrashing

Kim Hellberg has spoken following Middlesbrough's crucial 5-1 thrashing of Watford.

Kim Hellberg has expressed his pride in Middlesbrough’s players after they took the automatic promotion race to the final week of the season.

Boro are still just about in the automatic promotion race. | Getty Images

placeholder image — Boro are still just about in the automatic promotion race. | Getty Images

A six-game winless slump saw Boro slip all the way down to fifth as the finishing line moved into view. However, the Teessiders have shown incredible strength to claw themselves back into contention with back-to-back wins, backing up their 1-0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday by thrashing Watford 5-1 at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Those results, combined with draws for Ipswich Town and Millwall this weekend - against Leicester City and West Brom, respectively - have served to move Hellberg’s side back to within a point of the top two.

Hellberg hopes to see final day promotion scrap

The Tractor Boys still have a game in hand at Southampton on Tuesday, and Boro will be desperately hoping the Saints can get a result to take things down to the final day.

That’s certainly Hellberg’s sentiment, though either way, he’s ‘proud’ of his players.

“Football is an unbelievable sport, and you know that if it goes down to the last day, it is difficult to know how anyone is going to handle that,” Hellberg said after Saturday’s impressive win over the Hornets, which came courtesy of goals from Morgan Whittaker (x2), David Strelec and Tommy Conway (x2).

“We’ve come from a position where we really felt we had nothing to lose in the last week. It felt as though it was probably gone, but if Ipswich do not win their next game, then it will come down to the last day of the season.

“If that happens, you never know. There are a lot of things that play into that type of game. Hopefully, Southampton can take at least a point from Ipswich, and then we will get that exciting last day of the season. I’m proud of the boys.”

If it does go down to the final day, Boro arguably have the hardest task away at Wrexham, while Ipswich host QPR, Millwall are at home to already-relegated Oxford United, and Southampton travel to Preston North End.

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