Cardiff City 1-4 Middlesbrough: Bluebirds battered by Boro in final home game of the season

Cardiff City's final home game of the season ended in a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Middlesbrough.

Despite a relatively even game in terms of chances, the visitors were clinical and found the back of the net with unerring accuracy throughout the afternoon.

Matt Clarke scored early to put the travelling side ahead before a second-half blitz which saw Finn Azaz, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Gilbert all net to put the Bluebirds to the sword on a dismal afternoon for Erol Bulut's side and the home supporters. Not even a Josh Bowler consolation in injury time could lift the mood.

There was a real end-of-season atmosphere to the game and, as bizarre as it sounds, the game could have gone either way, given the volume of chances both teams produced. But, as has been the case for much of the season, the Bluebirds just couldn't produce those moments of quality when needed. Boro, on the other hand, did so with aplomb.

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There were two changes for the Bluebirds, with Rubin Colwill and Yakou Meite dropping out through injury, while Famara Diedhiou and well-again Josh Bowler were recalled into the starting team.

Cardiff very nearly began the game in wonderful fashion, thanks to an audacious 35-yard effort from David Turnbull, who attempted to lob Seny Dieng in the Boro goal, but the goalkeeper, backtracking, managed to tip it over the bar.

And Boro hit back immediately just minutes later when Finn Azaz's deflected shot fell kindly into the path of Latte Lath, who was clean through on goal. But Ethan Horvath produced a top one-v-one save to keep the scores level.

After a hectic start, the game settled into a bit of a lull, with very few chances, but Boro