First-half goals from Ben Turner and Joe Mason ensured the Bluebirds leapfrogged their opponents and into the final play-off place.

It continued their fine run of form that has seen them lose just one game in eight, in sharp contrast to Middlesbrough, who have taken just four points from their last seven matches.

Speaking after the game Mackay revealed that their decent run of form should give them an advantage going into the season run-in.

"We are back in the play-offs and we have a bit of momentum behind us now," he said.

"We have beaten a good Boro side who are one of our promotion rivals, we have only had one defeat in eight, we've kept three clean sheets in the last five... things like that give you a little bit of a psychological edge going into the play-offs.

"I'm delighted with the way the game panned out.

"We started brightly and exploited some good spaces and got the opener and then stayed calm and got a very good second.

"They came at us in the second half and bombed forward and put us under some sustained pressure but we were calm and composed and contained them and had some good chances to make it three or four on the break. It was a pleasing display."

Mackay also felt that Boro keeper Jason Steele should have been sent off early on after colliding with Kenny Miller as the duo chased down a poor backpass.

"Their keeper cleaned Kenny out," he added. "Kenny had nutmegged him and was wiped out. Their keeper never got a touch on the ball.

"It wasn't a penalty because it was outside the box but he was the last man and should have gone. And they didn't have a keeper on the bench so it may have had a massive impact on the game."

Defiant

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray remained defiant despite the defeat, insisting his side still have a great chance to earn promotion given they are still only a point off the play-offs.

"Look, we are all frustrated, disappointed and annoyed because we have lost a game and the goals we let in were very poor," said Mowbray.

"But we are only one point off the play-offs with five games to go and with everything still to play for.

"That is five games to define our season. Is it going to be a season of progression and improvement? We'll see.

"We have an opportunity over the next five games - or eight games if we are successful - to determine that.

"We have shown we can go away to teams and win games and we have our next two on the road and then we have bottom of the table Doncaster at home.

"So we still have a big chance to haul ourselves back into it. It is far from over."