Dhaka, April 6 -- Middlesbrough climbed to fifth in English football's second-tier Championship with a 2-0 win at struggling Blackburn Rovers on Friday.

There was a troubled atmosphere at Ewood Park, with angry fan protests against Venky's, the India-based poultry company that has owned Rovers since 2010.

The mood among the home support was not improved as Boro struck twice in the opening eight minutes to take full control of the game.

Tommy Conway needed fewer than 90 seconds to beat Aynsley Pears with a fine opener before a deflected strike from Samuel Iling-Junior doubled the visitors' lead minutes later.

A fifth win in seven games lifted Boro above both West Brom and Coventry and into the play-off places before the rest of the wee...