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Former defender Jonathan Woodgate took over as Middlesbrough manager in June

Jonathan Woodgate oversaw his first win as manager after his Middlesbrough side overcame Wigan Athletic at the Riverside.

Britt Assombalonga timed his run to perfection as he met a Jonny Howson cross to nod home the game's only goal before the break.

The Latics, who had earlier threatened through Jamal Lowe and Sam Morsy, had goalkeeper David Marshall to thank for limiting the first-half damage after he denied Assombalonga a second soon after.

Wigan's hopes of denying former England international Woodgate a milestone victory were made more difficult late on as they were reduced to 10 men when Kieffer Moore was forced off injured just minutes after manager Paul Cook made his final substitution.

Boro had collected just one point from their first three league games under Woodgate, who succeeded Tony Pulis as boss on Teesside, with Boro also bundled out of Carabao Cup by League Two side Crewe Alexandra seven days earlier.

Wigan themselves travelled to the Riverside looking to end a run of three straight defeats in all competitions which had also seen them fail to hit the back of net since their season-opening win against Cardiff City.

While the Latics had failed to score on five previous league trips to Middlesbrough, dating back more than a decade, they started brightly with Lowe testing Boro goalkeeper Darren Randolph in the fourth minute.

The forward then helped Morsy carve out a chance, which rose over the bar, before threatening again himself with a curled effort that went just wide.

With Boro's first real chance, Assombalonga put the hosts ahead with his second goal of the season before threatening to double his night's tally with a fierce effort that Marshall parried into the path of Paddy McNair, who could only hit the side netting on the rebound.

In a hard-fought second half of few chances, Moore first needed treatment before the hour mark after hurting his arm before injury eventually forced his exit with seven minutes remaining.

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Radio Tees:

"It's great to get the first win, not for me but for the players and the fans. We kept on believing, and OK today wasn't the best spectacle, but we created chances and ground a victory out.

"At times we need to get it in the box, rather than passing it from side to side. It's a great header from Britt - if you put balls in the box he will score, he will score.

"I see them in training knocking the ball about, but on a matchday we play sloppy passes. But it's pressure, and that's the difference between the top players.

"The important thing is to not get too high after victory, and remain level-headed. I'll tell the fans, this is going to be rocky, we're in a transitional phase so you will have to be patient."

Wigan manager Paul Cook:

"Obviously the result tonight is disappointing but I think we were smashing in the game. We played well, created chances and limited Middlesbrough to few chances.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get that goal, but that's football sometimes, and we've been integrating a number of new players.

"We know how important results are, we're not stupid, it's an unforgiving league, but our players were excellent tonight.

"As a player and a manager, the fact our fans clapped us off shows we did ok. We're obviously disappointed in the result to come away with nothing, the performance was very good."