Sky Bet Championship: Middlesbrough score three second-half goals to record 3-0 win over 10-man Nottingham Forest

Middlesbrough scored three times in the second half to record a comfortable 3-0 win over 10-man Nottingham Forest in front of their biggest home crowd in five years at the Riverside.

An attendance of 32,277 turned out for this Boxing Day clash as the Teessiders bounced back from their defeat at Ipswich last week with an impressive display against Stuart Pearce's side, who have now gone five games without a win.

After a goalless first half, George Friend, Jelle Vossen and Grant Leadbitter all found the net to keep Boro fourth in the Sky Bet Championship - although the last two goals came after Kelvin Wilson was dismissed for the visitors midway through the second half.

Boro started brightly and Kike did well inside the box before his shot was stopped by Forest goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

A cagey period then ensued, and the next half-chance arrived in the 19th minute when Albert Adomah broke down the right but his cross was smothered by Darlow.

Forest looked dangerous on the break and pressed in the 21st minute, with Chris Burke's shot from the edge of the box deflected over the bar.

Boro came back three minutes later when Lee Tomlin found Kike with a superb throughball. The Spanish striker cleverly back-heeled first time for Friend, whose strong shot was parried away by Darlow.

FL72 Live

It was Forest's turn to attack in the 26th minute when Michail Antonio did well down the right but his looping cross was gathered by Dimi Konstantopoulos.

And the Boro keeper was well behind Robert Tesche's speculative long-range effort just before the half-hour mark.

Kike was in the thick of it again after 34 minutes following good work by Tomlin and Friend, but the forward's shot was blocked.

Darlow had to show strong hands when he came out to thump Grant Leadbitter's curling free-kick into the danger area. The Forest shot-stopper collided with Boro defender Ben Gibson in the process and he briefly required treatment.

Darlow was again in action two minutes before the break when Friend showed great skill, flicking the ball up over his head before hitting a piledriver which Darlow palmed away.

Boro started the second half as they finished the first, pressing Forest, and the goal finally came in the 54th minute when Friend leaped high to head Grant Leadbitter's corner beyond Darlow for his first goal of the season.

Forest centre back Wilson was then sent off in the 63rd minute for a second yellow after tackling Kike from behind.

Boro should have doubled their lead when substitute Vossen broke clear with a charging run before his cross-shot was deflected wide.

But the Belgian striker did find the net in the 79th minute, finishing off a fine move with a thumping finish for his fourth of the campaign.

And Leadbitter completed the scoring in the 87th minute from the spot with his seventh goal of the season after Patrick Bamford was tripped by Darlow in the box.