Mark Fotheringham on mission accomplished for Huddersfield Town and his reasons for changing system at Middlesbrough FC

The Terriers secured their first away clean sheet since this fixture on Teesside on Easter Monday, with Fotheringham - on his 39th birthday- pleased with the organisation of his side.

Fotheringham said: "The main focus was to get back to what we did against Hull City and get a clean sheet.

"We looked really solid and Middlesbrough are a team who had a lot of confidence coming into this game with the 4-1 win at Wigan. I just felt we did not give them any chances in the game and it was very difficult for them to break us down and we were very solid in that respect defensively.

"Not only from the back four, but the five and the striker as well. They worked really hard and showed we can handle the pressure at a tough place like this stadium.

"There was a lot of good energy about us and we have got 'legs' pretty much all over the park and that is only going to get better, It is getting close to what I identified with myself and expect from my team and I don't think it is going to be easy for other teams in this league to break through us."

Town switched shape to a back four successfully and Fotheringham feels the move was vindicated.

He added: "I just wanted to go with a 4-3-3 and 4-5-1 without the ball and I wanted to flood the midfield with runners and everyone in there had great energy and legs and kept doing it up to 95 minutes which was pleasing.

"Of course, I had good impact from the bench from Rhodesy.

"We had that one (chance) where Jack Rudoni had the shot against the keeper and he saves the rebound. On another day, you go and snatch the 1-0 and that's probably what got Huddersfield to the play-off final last season with the wins they ground out.

"The people there could see the team are working so hard for me and the staff."