Last updated on .From the section Championship

Djed Spence (right) celebrates scoring for Middlesbrough

Teenager Djed Spence scored his first professional goal as Middlesbrough overcame Huddersfield to leapfrog the Terriers in the Championship table.

Defender Spence, 19, starting a league game for Boro for just the fourth time, combined with Ashley Fletcher to convert a clinical breakaway goal.

Jon Gorenc Stankovic should have levelled for Danny Cowley's visitors on the hour, only for the Slovenian to head over from a corner.

The athletic Fletcher would have doubled Boro's lead but for a smart Kamil Grabara save as the home side held on to win back-to-back matches.

Victory means Jonathan Woodgate's side continue their climb up the table, with the Teesiders up to 18th after what was their fourth-straight home league win.

Boro, who remain winless away from home in the league this season, end the calendar year with Sunday's trip to leaders West Brom.

Defeat for Huddersfield ended a run of three unbeaten for the Terriers, who will also reflect on Juninho Bacuna's effort which was repelled by home goalkeeper Aynsley Pears.

Cowley's side have now slipped back to within four points of the relegation zone and host Blackburn, also on Sunday, next.

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Tees:

"I thought we deserved to win the game. They had good possession but they didn't really hurt us with it.

"We have two difficult away games now, but I'm really pleased for the lads - the energy we showed in that game - that's what we want.

"I was over the moon for Djed. He needs to keep on pushing on now."

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley told BBC Radio Leeds:

"I don't think it's a game we should have lost. We did enough to get something from it.

"This is football, we have to suck up the disappointment. If I'm honest, at times we were quite naive - especially when Jonathan Hogg came off.

"Some of ours young players are three of four hundred professional games behind him [Hogg]."