Middlesbrough 2 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures

But after 64 years without a win on Teesside, Wolves at least made a decent fist of it after a first-half when they looked like being blown into the North Sea.

Two goals in the opening 11 minutes amid a whirlwind start by Boro effectively condemned Wolves to yet another empty return to Teesside.

But Bakary Sako's 14th goal of the season gave them hope of preventing a second successive defeat.

And they might have snatched an equaliser but for Rajiv van La Parra hitting the bar, although Patrick Bamford did the same in the seventh minute of time added on at the death.

Wolves left themselves too much to do and failed to create clear-cut chances during their best period once they returned to a more threatening line-up when Nouha Dicko arrived after the hour.

In trying to match up with the Championship's best home team, Jackett switched to a more conservative 4-2-3-1 formation.

He made three changes from the side beaten 2-1 at Birmingham on Saturday as Kortney Hause, Rajiv van La Parra and Dave Edwards replaced Saturday's fall guy Scott Golbourne, James Henry and Nouha Dicko.

Perhaps mindful of the limp way they performed at Molineux earlier in the season, Boro showed they weren't prepared to let the same happen again.

And helped by a third-minute goal and a partisan crowd, they tore at Wolves to gain the crucial advantage, then doubled it.

Jelle Vossen's eighth goal of the season couldn't have been easier as he rolled the ball home from eight yards after one-time Wolves target Patrick Bamford pulled it back into his path.

But it looked like the danger should have been stopped earlier after Richard Stearman allowed Adam Clayton's long ball to bounce and Bamford was onto it in a flash.

Wolves had the chance of a leveller following their first attack in the 10th minute, but Bakary Sako wasted it.

He ballooned a free kick well over the top, after van La Parra had been brought down in a central area. And within a minute they were made it pay as Boro doubled their lead.

Goals: Vossen 3, Bamford 11, Sako 53.

Boro (4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos, Kalas, Woodgate (Omerou 63), Gibson, Friend, Clayton, Forshaw, Adomah (Amorebieta 80), Vossen, Tomlin, Bamford.

Substitutes not used: Ripley (GK), Kike, Ledesma, Whitehead, Nsue.

Wolves: (4-2-3-1): Ikeme, Iorfa, Batth, Stearman, Hause (Golbourne 46), Price (Dicko 63), McDonald, Van La Parra (Jacobs 77), Edwards, Sako, Afobe.

Substitutes not used: Kuszczak (GK), Henry, Doyle, Ebanks-Landell.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Preston)

This time Bamford was the scorer, expertly spinning 180 degrees and firing home from 10 yards,after Albert Adomah beat the off-balance Hause all too easily on the right before crossing.

When Adomah went down for treatment in the 16th minute it was the first time Wolves had been able to draw breath.

But three minutes later, the former Bristol City winger almost brought the house down with what would have been a goal of the season contender.

Leaving Hause then Danny Batth in a heap, he curled a shot that hit the angle of post and bar.

Stearman looked as if he was perhaps lucky to escape with a booking in the 25th minute for bringing down Bamford as he burst through on goal.

And when Batth was also yellow carded for an untidy challenge that caught the same player before the break, it left both centre halves on a disciplinary tightrope for the rest of the game.

Their problems weren't just confined to the defence.

Whenever the midfield got hold of the ball, they were swiftly hassled out of possession by Boro's hungry middle men which meant Benik Afobe was too isolated.

Not surprisingly, Jackett changed things at the break with the introduction of Golbourne for Hause.

It made little difference to start with. as Boro attacked from that side through right back Tomas Kalas.

His cross saw Vossen presented with a golden chance to make it 3-0 but he blazed over from point blank range.

And, out of the blue, Wolves halved the deficit as Edwards found Sako in space and the Mali international beat goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos at his near post with a blistering low drive.

It was his 14th goal of the season to make it his highest scoring campaign in English football.

Jackett introduced Dicko in the 64rd minute for Jack Price in a switch that saw Dave Edwards drop deeper.

And it signalled Wolves' best period of the match as the game became stretched with both teams going for goal.

With two up front, Wolves were suddenly giving Boro something to think about defensively.

And they had plenty to ponder in the 73rd minute when they went within inches of an equaliser.

Golbourne crossed from the left and van La Parra volleyed against the bar.

That was to be the last noteworthy piece of action from the flying Dutchman, as he was replaced by Michael Jacobs 13 minutes from time.

But with Adomah stretchered off for Boro, both teams seemed to run out of steam in the latter stages after a breathless game that became end to end as it wore on and the tempo dropped.

In the end and despite ending the game on the front foot, Wolves left themselves too much to do after Boro's early onslaught.

But they should be encouraged by the determined and spirited way they ended the game and it was the home support that was the more relieved to hear the final whistle.

That said, Lee Tomlin went within inches of a third Boro goal when he cut inside only to see his 25-yard shot curl just wide with Carl Ikeme at full stretch.

And before five minutes of added time, substitute Jacobs was high and wide with a rising shot.