Will Lankshear scored his seventh league goal of the season as Middlesbrough's new striker settled a close Championship encounter with Wolves.

In a meeting of third and fourth at a sold-out Riverside Stadium, Lankshear headed a 57th-minute winner as Boro marked their 150th anniversary in a fitting manner.

Substitute Kyle Joseph hit the crossbar late on as they pushed for a second, but the hosts did enough to record a fourth win in five home games.

Kim Hellberg's side leapfrogged West Ham to move up to second in the table and remain two points behind leaders Swansea City.

It was only a second defeat of the season for Wolves, with Adam Armstrong forcing a save out of Radek Vitek late on as they slipped one place to fifth, but they do have a game in hand on all the teams around them.

Six days after hosting a Legacy Game involving some of Boro's most famous former players, this match was designated by the club as the '150 Fixture' involving the current first team.

Fans held up cards before kick-off while a Tifo displayed a photo of Boro's original side with the words 'They paved the way for where you play', while the modern-day team emerged in blue kits, recognising the colours they first wore in 1876.

With that backing, Boro were on the front foot as they pinned the visitors in their own half and Jose Sa was forced to parry an effort from Lankshear at a tight angle.

Seb Berhalter swept another effort wide of the far post after good play by Tommy Conway down the left.

Wolves had been second best but Marshall Munetsi's effort late in the half brought a smart save from Vitek.

However, Lankshear broke the deadlock, equalling the tally of Southampton's Cyle Larin at the top of the second-tier scoring charts, as he headed in at the back post after Conway got enough space from Kieran Trippier to stand up a fine cross.

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto made a host of changes to try to find a way back into the game but Boro continued to look the more likely to score again with Sa busier and Joseph only denied his first league goal for the club by the woodwork.

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Tees:

"I don't think it gets much better than this. A good performance against a good side.

"There were a lot of things that were very good. I think up to the goal, we were absolutely brilliant in terms of the home game, pressing up high. We almost limited them to no chances in the first half.

"After the goal, we showed what we are trying to be - a solid team against a good side because the games will always change when we go ahead.

"I cannot reckon they had any chances to make it 1-1. We defended very well, we defended crosses, we had some transitions where we could have killed the game off but overall I'm very happy."

On Will Lankshear:

"Will is growing as a player. His technical quality and finishing is on a different level and you can see that with the goal, that header is one of the best I've seen.

"Will wants to improve in everything. At the start it was mainly around the box scoring the goals but now he gives us almost everything."

Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto told BBC Radio WM:

"In the second half, we were better after we conceded the goal. The team reacted; this is a big team, a strong team. The guys who come from the bench improve the team.

"In the first half, we have to have more time with the ball like we did in the second half. In the second half, it's ours. We [are] pushing, we press, we go high, we created a lot of chances to cross inside of the box.

"The right result is a draw but congratulations to Middlesbrough.

"Only a strong team react like that. I told the team that if we react like that we are going to win more games than lose for sure."