Burnley off the mark as 'Boro win 'Vertu Derby'
Another busy week of fixtures for the Vertu Motors-supported teams resulted in mixed fortunes on the pitch across the Premier League and the EFL Championship.
In the Premier League, Burnley FC picked up a first victory since returning to the top flight with a visit to Luton Town – who had been promoted alongside the Clarets last season.
Lyle Foster made it three goals for the season when he slotted home shortly before half-time to give Burnley the lead before Elijah Adebayo popped up to equalise for the home team with just six minutes to go.
However, less than 90 seconds later, a stunning finish from Jacob Bruun Larsen ensured all three points for Vincent Kompany and his team, who headed home to Lancashire with a 2-1 win.
Teenager Wilson Odobert then put the home team ahead when Chelsea arrived at Turf Moor, but a strong second half showing saw the visitors come to back to snare a 4-1 win.
In the EFL Championship, Middlesbrough’s resurgence continued with goals from Isaiah Jones and Emmanuel Latte Lath resulting in a 2-0 win against Cardiff to make it three league wins in a row.
That was the ideal result to take into the opening Tees-Wear derby of the year against Sunderland AFC, who had beaten Watford by the same score with a stunning individual goal from Niall Huggins and a second from Abdoullah Ba.
The derby itself would result in a resounding win for ‘Boro at the Stadium of Light, with Sam Greenwood, Matt Crooks, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss all netting in the second half after Sunderland had Dan Neil sent off.
Despite the defeat, Sunderland remain fourth in the table, with four wins in a row lifting Middlesbrough up to 16th,
Plymouth Argyle endured a tricky week, with a 2-0 defeat at home to Millwall being followed by a 3-1 reversal against Swansea leaving the Pilgrims.
All four teams now head into a short early-season International break before league action resumes on the weekend of 21/22 October.
There, Burnley face a trip to London to play Brentford, with Sunderland and Plymouth also on the road with visits to Stoke and West Brom. Middlesbrough are the only one of the quartet at home, with Birmingham City visiting the Riverside.