Middlesbrough may have ended their runs of six defeats on the spin with a 2-0 victory at Bolton on Tuesday, but you feel that will have done little to ease the mood around The Riverside Stadium.

That run of six defeats had seen Boro go from play-off certainties to outsiders in a matter of weeks, and an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction with manager Tony Pulis has been noticeable from the stands, even from before that run.

One bright spark for Boro in recent weeks, however, has been the form of 23-year-old striker Ashley Fletcher, who has found the net five times in his last eight appearances, culminating in a double in that win at boyhood club Bolton on Tuesday.

Those goals are Fletcher's first of the campaign in the league, the striker having made just nine starts and 16 appearances in all in the Championship season. That, however, could be about to change by the time next season come around and the business of the transfer window has been completed.

Reports have recently claimed that Britt Assombalonga could once again be a target for Boro's Championship rivals in the summer transfer window, with Bristol City having previously targeted the 26-year-old attacker in January.

With these links emerging again, Fletcher may well feel that he couldn't have timed his run of goals better.

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Assombalonga is perhaps Fletcher's biggest rival for a starting spot in the Boro side, having appeared in 37 league games this season in comparison to Fletcher's 16.

With the Congolese striker potentially set for a move away from The Riverside in the summer, Fletcher may feel that his run of goals have demonstrated that he can be the man to lead the line for Boro after Assombalonga's departure. The 23-year-old will hope he has done enough to convince the club to give him a chance next season rather than spending any possible funds received on a direct replacement for Assombalonga.

These final five games of the season therefore could be crucial to Fletcher's future. If he can find the net a few more times in what remains of the season, then his point will have been well and truly made, and the 23-year-old may finally get his chance to step forward as Middlesbrough's leading attacking outlet.