Picture gallery: The best of the action from Boro's 4-0 win against Norwich City

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The Riverside crowd were sent home happy after Boro passed a real test of their promotion credentials at the Riverside.

Promotion chasing Norwich were supposed to provide a real challenge but Boro swatted them aside with ease in a comprehensive 4-0 victory.

Patick Bamford, Yanic Wildschut and a Grant Leadbitter double completed the rout as Boro moved joint-top in the Championship table.

Aitor Karanka was delighted with his side's second-half performance while Neil Adams said Norwich got what they deserved - nothing.

Take a look through our picture gallery from the game at the Riverside.

Recap: Boro v Norwich at the Riverside Stadium

A perfect away performance at Rotherham saw Boro soar up to third in the table and they now find themselves only two points off top spot.

Norwich were the early Championship pace-setters this season but a five-match winless run saw them drop out of the top six.

A 2-1 victory over Bolton however leaves them just one point behind Aitor Karanka's side.

The Karankaversary: How Anthony Vickers graded Aitor's first year at Boro

Join Vic by filling in the Karankaversary survey here

You've been telling us how you think Aitor Karanka's first year as Boro boss has gone - here's what one of our people thinks.

As reported earlier, it's coming up for 12 months since Karanka was unveiled as Boro's head coach.

To mark the occasion we have set up a quick-click survey so that fans can say how they think he has done so far.

You can fill in the survey HERE but, in the meantime, here's how The Gazette's Anthony Vickers has filled in the form:

What grade do you give Aitor Karanka for his signings?

B - a keeper away from being an A; a deadly striker away from being A*

What about the head coach's tactics?

A - improvement be the month; one small step away from ripping this division apart

How do you rate Aitor Karanka for his team selections?

A - no matter how much fans moan he's almost always proved right

Who has been Karanka's best signing?

Adam Clayton - a midfield powerhouse

Which Boro player has most improved under Karanka?

George Friend - added steel to his skillset

Which game under Karanka have you enjoyed the most?

Brighton (away) 2-1 - October

In which areas could Karanka improve? Tell us in three words

Top notch keeper

Where do you think Boro will finish this season?

Automatic promotion

What one question (in the length of a tweet) would you like to ask Karanka?

How long are you planning to stay at Boro?

Which one player who has left Boro under Karanka would you have preferred to stay?

Jason Steele - we are a keeper short in the mix

Join Vic by filling in the Karankaversary survey here

Aitor Karanka: 'I'm proud to be Boro boss and couldn't have chosen a better job'

Aitor Karanka has heaped praise on Boro fans for helping him to love life in the North-east.

This month marks the one-year anniversary since the Spaniard replaced Tony Mowbray in the Boro hotseat.

After moulding an entirely new team in his image, Boro now sit in third position only two points off top spot ahead of tonight’s Championship showdown with Norwich City.

And ahead of the match Karanka admitted he couldn’t have chosen a better place to start his managerial career.

“I’m pleased with the progress since I’ve been here, the team is doing well and is improving every day”, Karanka told the club’s official website.

“That’s the most important thing – to keep improving, because we have a long run ahead of us.

“I couldn’t imagine how much I would enjoy this job, and how much I would work.

“I’m very pleased because like I’ve said, I’m proud to be at Middlesbrough and couldn’t have chosen a better place to start my career.

“I said in my first press conference that the way the people here at the club welcomed me and the crowd, the players and people in the street was perfect.

“Now a year later things improve every day, and people say good things which gives me more energy to keep going.”

Boro go into tonight’s clash having lost only one of their last 10 Championship matches, winning six and conceding only six goals in that time.

But the pressure is on the Teessiders tonight to show they can beat their promotion rivals, having drawn with Watford and Charlton and lost at Wolves this season.

A win against the Canaries could send Boro top of the division, and then another glorious opportunity to get points on the board comes on Saturday as high-flying Bournemouth arrive at the Riverside.

“We have to keep going in the same way, both Norwich and Bournemouth are two of the best teams in the league and for this reason we have to be careful,” Karanka said.

“We have to think about Norwich first and then Bournemouth.

“Norwich are a very good team. I said before the Rotherham game that they are a typical Championship team, whereas Norwich are not .

“They are a very strong team with a lot of quality players, have a good manager and were in the Premier League last year, so it will be a very tough game.

“This is a tough division, it’s crazy that Norwich have only won one in their last six yet they are only one point behind us.”

Young woman left unconscious after being attacked by two other women on Stockton High Street

A young woman was left unconscious following an attack by two women.

The 19-year-old female victim was left with a broken nose, cuts and bruising and suspected damage to her shoulder and collar bone - after being punched and kicked.

The assault happened in the early hours of Saturday morning between 1.15am and 1.30am on Stockton High Street - outside Bet Fred Bookmakers.

The victim was outside the bookies when she was approached by two women - both with blonde hair and believed to be aged about 17 and 40.

After an argument, the two women attacked the 19-year-old, before leaving her unconscious on the ground.

She was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees and later released.

Anyone who may have information about the attack is asked to contact DC Rachel Keeley on 101.

Chemical company Dow closes last remaining Teesside facility with loss of 30 jobs

Chemical company Dow has closed its last remaining Teesside facility with the loss of 30 jobs.

The Amines and Chelants plant at Seal Sands will be razed in the next few months, after the company claimed ‘challenging operational conditions’ had brought it to a point where it could not sustain an economically viable site’.

The global speciality chemical company is helping staff to find new jobs in Teesside’s chemicals sector, with assistance from process industry cluster NEPIC.

A spokesperson said: “Dow’s chelants organisation in Europe faces ongoing challenging operational conditions; including the lack of a cost effective and reliable supply of a key raw material, as well as overcapacity of liquid chelant production in the region.

“These factors resulted in the business needing to review its long term strategic options for the chelant and sodium sarcosinate production at Seal Sands.”

Dow closed its Wilton ethylene oxide and glycol (EOEG) production facility at Wilton (pictured above) in 2009 with the loss of 55 jobs.

George Friend: Norwich will give me a busy night but we can match them

George Friend is relishing tonight's top of the table clash with Norwich and insists Boro are ready to rumble.

The Canaries were early high-fliers but have since slipped to sixth in the summit scramble - however they are just one point behind third placed Boro going into a mouth-watering match.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Boro fans' favourite Friend.

"I think it has the makings of a cracking game in a fantastic atmosphere and hopefully if will be very entertaining for the supporters.

"We know it will be a tough test for us - they all are - but we will all be right up for it."

And Friend revealed Boro have been making preparations for Norwich, who were relegated from the Premier League last term and are aiming to bounce straight back.

"I watched them on TV last week against Bolton and I thought they were good and very impressive going forward so it could be a busy night for me," he said.

"But we are ready for the challenge. The manager gives us a DVD and will points out where maybe we can exploit them a bit and we work on that hard in training so we know what to expect.

"They are a good side and will want to play football and have a go. I expect it to be a bit like the Watford match where we played a good tactical performance but just couldn’t close it out for the win.

"We know they are dangerous and they’ve got a good squad with a lot of Premier League experience but we've come across that before with Fulham and Cardiff.

"We believe we can more than match them and that we can create chances and if we take them then we can get a result."

Table tennis: Paul Drinkhall aiming to qualify for season-ending ITTF Grand Finals

Paul Drinkhall has some of the world’s top players in his sights as he returns to the ITTF World Tour circuit this week for the first time since his memorable April win in Spain.

The 24-year-old England No 2 is playing in Ekaterinburg, Russia from tomorrow until Sunday, before heading to Stockholm next week.

As well as adding to his Spanish title, the Loftus player has the added incentive of qualifying for the season-ending Grand Finals in Bangkok in December.

He is currently 11th in the standings, with 15 players to qualify, and will have played in the minimum required five events after Russia and Sweden.

Drinkhall is seeded 22 in Russia, with the list headed by World No 5 Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany and No 7 Jun Mizutani of Japan.

The field in Sweden is even stronger, with no fewer than six top-10 players slated to appear – five from powerhouse China, plus Ovtcharov.

Drinkhall is unseeded for that event and will have to play in the group stages.

But he is confident he can punch above his weight and achieve some head-turning results as the only English player who can qualify for the Grand Finals.

“Russia is a strong tournament but I’ll be among the seeds – I think I’m 22, which is similar to when I won in Spain,” he said.

“But the top seeds are stronger in Russia.

“I’ve been playing well in the Belgian League and hopefully I can take that form into Russia and get some good wins and make progress.

“Sweden is stronger than Russia, so I’ll be playing in the groups and having to qualify for the knockouts.

“But if I can keep up my good form, there’s no reason I can’t get through the group and take out some seeds. Qualifying for the Grand Finals is the target.”

Johnson School of Dance hoping your Wish tokens will help put them on stage at Her Majesty's Theatre

A group of dancers in Middlesbrough are hoping your Wish tokens will enable them to travel to the capital for a performance.

Johnson School of Dance, which is based at Southlands Leisure Centre, is a small, friendly-run dance school that teaches youngsters from the age of two upwards.

The school runs classes in tap, ballet, modern and jazz.

The qualified teachers pride themselves in nurturing the talents of the young boys and girls who love to sing and dance.

The dancers are then given the opportunity to take part in exams, shows and competitions.

Last year, the school entered The Gazette’s Wish campaign and used the support it received from readers to fund a trip away.

In the past, the group has used the money from previous Wish campaigns to go towards taking 22 of the youngsters to perform at Disneyland Paris in August this year.

The dance school described it as a magical experience for everyone involved.

Lynn Cook, of the dance school, said: “We have been invited to perform at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London in June 2015.

“We hope to use any Wish money to help fund this for our children and their families.”

Every year, The Gazette’s Wish campaign gives away thousands of pounds to not-for-profit groups and organisations benefiting the Teesside community.

Each registered group will be guaranteed a share of our £40,000 fund.

The more tokens a group collects, the bigger its share of the prize pot.

Tokens are now appearing daily in The Gazette. The last token will appear on January 21. Submissions for tokens will close at 5pm on Monday, February 23.

To help Johnson School of Dance, send your tokens to: 49 Rothesay Grove, Middlesbrough, TS7 0LF.

Original Dragon's Den star Doug Richard to be new Teesside University Chancellor

Teesside University is getting a fiery, new Chancellor.

Doug Richard was one of the original members of Dragon’s Den and will be taking over from Lord Sawyer of Darlington early next year.

The businessman appeared in the first two series of the BBC show and has also been an adviser to the government.

Speaking about his new role as Chancellor, the entrepreneur said: “Teesside is a business facing university with a real focus on innovation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship.

“The progress it has made in recent years and the continual investment in new facilities and buildings make it an exciting proposition for students and business partners.

“I am both excited and honoured to become the next Chancellor of this institution and hope to use my experience and expertise to build on the fantastic work that has gone before me and guide the University through its next exciting chapter.

“I would also like to extend my thanks to outgoing Chancellor Lord Sawyer of Darlington, as well as the Board of Governors, for their recommendation and the support they have given me so far.”

Mr Richard holds the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion and the award for Enterprise Educator of the Year from the National Council on Graduate Employment.

He is also the founder of School for Start Ups, an organisation which has provided accelerated business instruction to over 30,000 business owners.

Lord Sawyer - who has been Chancellor since 2005 - welcomed the appointment of Mr Richard and said: “The years I have spent as Chancellor of Teesside University have been some of the most rewarding of my career. It is with great sadness, but also great pride, that I step down.

“I am sure that Doug Richard will be an outstanding Chancellor. He is influential and well known as an active business leader and successful entrepreneur. His national connections and ability to provide inspirational guidance and advice will be an asset to the University.”

Recap: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Friday 31st October, 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

FSB's pre-Election message to would-be candidates

The North-east head of the FSB says his organisation’s pre-General Election campaign is a ‘unique opportunity’ for would-be parliamentary candidates to talk directly with the region’s small business owners.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has launched #ibacksmallbusiness following ‘months of direct engagement with real small businesses.’

Putting prospective politicians in direct contact with small businesses on social media, the #ibacksmallbusiness campaign forms the centrepiece of the FSB’s work in advance of the 2015 General Election.

The backbone of the campaign is the FSB’s Business Manifesto; five key areas that the FSB claims needs to be addressed by any aspiring Government including a sustained economic recovery and lowering costs of doing business.

A dedicated website - http://ift.tt/1tZx5gH - is for content sharing on various social media platforms, to ‘enable prospective Parliamentary Candidates to see and hear the challenges facing small businesses in the specific constituencies they wish to serve.’

North East Regional Chair, Ted Salmon, said: “Our business manifesto plainly outlines what the next Government needs to do to support entrepreneurs seeking to start a new business or grow an existing firm. Over the coming months, we expect candidates claiming to support small firms to get behind the #ibacksmallbusiness campaign.”

Redcar Beacons Street Angels project launched to help keep people safe at night

A dedicated group of volunteers aims to be a guiding light in helping people stay safe on the streets of Redcar.

The Redcar Beacons, set up by locals Anne and Bryan Connelly, are based on Street Angels programmes running up and down the country, including Middlesbrough, Stockton, Guisborough and Hartlepool.

Run under the umbrella of the Christian Nightlife Initiative - which supports more than 100 similar schemes across the country - the Beacons aims to provide a non-judgemental “caring presence” to everyone who ventures out to Redcar on a Friday night between 10pm-3am - from boozy revellers to the vulnerable and homeless.

Volunteers are trained in first aid, to help with minor injuries, and where appropriate will give out water and flip flops to help with dehydration and sore feet.

The 19-strong team of volunteers, wearing hi-visibility projects provided by Redcar and Cleveland Council, range in age from 19-year-old Amie Mulgrew-Taylor to Brian Connolly and Olwyn Twentyman, who are both in their 70s. But Anne, a retired social worker, said more men are urgently needed.

And if they can boost their numbers, it’s hoped the service can expand to Saturday nights too.

She said: “About half of us or Christians, but the one thing we all have in common is we care about our community.

“Our main aim is to help people enjoying a night out and making sure they stay safe. This could be by alerting the emergency services or by taking them back to our base at the Lifeline office and helping them seek further help from appropriate organisations.”

The name Redcar Beacons came from Redcar’s own vertical pier, which Anne visited just after it opened.

She said: “I know a lot of people have differing opinions about the Beacon but what I saw was the beauty of the area and it really lifted my spirits. We should be proud of what we can offer residents and visitors.

“Lending the name to our group ties in well with the town and it is key to remember that the aim of a beacon is to supply an area with guiding lights.”

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger, said: “In my experience of Street Angels projects, they are very well received and I’m sure this scheme will be a great addition to the community safety offer in Redcar.”

For details, email info@redcarbeacons.co.uk or call 0771 9447112.

Aitor Karanka admits Boro bookings and risk of suspension can affect team selection

Aitor Karanka admits he is wary of picking players who are one card away from a ban.

George Friend and Ryan Fredericks are both one booking away from suspension.

Karanka confirmed that he rested Fredericks at Rotherham for that very reason on Saturday.

With Boro facing two important Championship games in the next five days, the Spaniard has to tread carefully, starting with tonight’s home clash with Norwich City (7.45pm).

“In the last game I left out Ryan and also replaced George in the last five minutes,” said Karanka.

“I have to take care because sometimes you have to put the balance between winning the game against the risk of losing players for the following game.

“I have to think about Norwich because we have another game on Saturday (Bournemouth) and both are very important.”

Karanka played Emilio Nsue at right-back against Rotherham but wouldn’t be drawn on whether he would recall Fredericks tonight.

“Emilio played very well and he may play again,” he said.

“I have another two chances to keep Ryan protected or play Emilio so it’s a very good choice for me.”

Kenneth Omeruo was a surprise omission from matchday squad at Rotherham with Milos Veljkovic getting the nod on the bench.

Explaining why, Karanka said: “I have to choose the best 11 players and, after that, the best players for the bench and for that game I felt Milos was the better player than him to play as a defender.”