Archer stars as Middlesbrough thrash Norwich

Middlesbrough overpowered Norwich City with a clinical display to keep alive their faint hopes of automatic promotion.

Archer slotted in the third and then promptly snuffed out the brief hope given by Josh Sargent’s finish by punishing more sloppy defending with a powerful finish.

Chuba Akpom tapped in a fifth soon after the break thanks to Archer who added a second assist to his goal double as Boro moved above Luton on goal difference into third in the Championship.

A first win in four moves Michael Carrick’s side within five points of second-placed Sheffield United with four matches remaining, but having played two games more as their hopes of a Premier League return now look anchored to the play-offs.

A draw would have lifted Norwich into the play-off places, but they remain a point outside the top six in eighth and their bid appears to be flagging after a run of one win in seven.

Sargent pulled a good early chance wide as the visitors began brightly, but Boro made them pay with their first attack as great interplay from Akpom and Archer carved open the visitors for Ramsey’s fifth goal in seven starts.

City should have levelled when Zack Steffen pushed Sam McCallum’s dangerous ball into Sargent’s path, but the prostrate Boro goalkeeper got a hand to his close-range effort.

The match was decided in a frantic close to the first half as Hackney doubled the lead a minute after Darragh Lenihan’s headed finish had been ruled out for offside.

The goal drew protests from the Canaries, unhappy that the hosts had played on and scored with Sam McCallum down injured, but they only had themselves to blame when Archer easily found space to convert Alex Mowatt’s pass for 3-0.

Boro returned the compliment when Paddy McNair was caught in possession by Sargent who ran on and slid a neat finish through Steffen’s legs.

But a Norwich defence missing first-choice centre-halves Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson, then poked Ryan Giles’ free-kick straight to the unmarked Archer to kill the game.

City had lost just one of their previous eight games on the road, but were already on track for their heaviest defeat of the season before Akpom netted for the eighth successive home game – matching the Championship record shared with Jarrod Bowen and Tammy Abraham.

Pressing for a consolation on a miserable evening, Gabriel Sara’s powerful strike smacked the post and the Canaries should have had a penalty when Ryan Giles brought down Max Aarons, who later forced a smart stop from Steffen.