Middlesbrough secured a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic to ease the pressure on Jonathan Woodgate.

The Teessiders took the lead inside the first minute as George Saville slotted home from close range after a scuffed effort from Britt Assombalonga.

Charlton struggled to get a foothold in the game during a first half that was dominated by the home side, and in truth, they were fortunate to only be one goal down at the break.

Despite a rallying start to the second period, it was the home side who looked more likely to get a goal as they saw out the game for a much-needed win.

Here's how we rated Jonathan Woodgate's side against Charlton.

Aynsley Pears – 8

Had a quiet afternoon but forced into two excellent saves in the closing stages.

Djed Spence – 9

One of Middlesbrough’s brightest as he used pace and trickery to break into the final third.

Jonny Howson – 7

Had a good game as he guided Djed Spence through the match. Swept up well and looked comfortable.

Daniel Ayala – 8

A no-nonsense display as he put his head where it hurts.

Dael Fry – 7

A much-improved display from last week against Leeds. Looked assured on the ball and held strong against a physical Charlton attack.

Hayden Coulson – 9

Didn’t seem to stop all match as he put in a tireless display down the left. Equally strong in defence as he was in attack.

Marcus Tavernier – 8

Showed good movement to find space for himself in midfield. Very impressive in the second half as he kept pushing to wrap up the result with a second goal.

Adam Clayton – 7

Did exactly what you’d expect from the midfielder as he sat deep and dictated play. Middlesbrough look much stronger with him in the side.

George Saville – 7

Got an early goal and worked hard to move Middlesbrough forward on the ball. One of his best performances in a while.

Ashley Fletcher – 7

Caused lots of problems as he dropped into a deep-lying striker position, using his pace to catch the Charlton defence off guard.

Britt Assombalonga – 6

It was clear to see that the number nine wasn’t fully fit but he certainly put in a shift as he carved out two good scoring opportunities in the first half.

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Substitutes

Stephen Walker – 6

Replaced Assombalonga after an hour. Worked hard and caused problems for Charlton's defence.