Two first-half goals were enough to see Cardiff return to the Championship play-off places with victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. Defender Ben Turner headed home Cardiff's opening goal after 11 minutes following Liam Lawrence's corner. Eight minutes later substitute Joe Mason added a second, tapping in from close range from a Lawrence assist. Middlesbrough were much improved in the second half with Adam Hammill and Lukas Jutkiewicz going close. Use accessible player and disable flyout menus Interview: Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray It was a crucial victory for Malky Mackay's side, who secured their first win in six matches to leapfrog above Middlesbrough and Brighton to move to sixth in the table. At the start of the day two points had separated the sides, who had drawn their previous four Championship games. Cardiff were dealt a blow after six minutes when striker Kenny Miller was forced off the field after being scythed down by keeper Jason Steele. The Bluebirds were angry that Steele's challenge on the Scottish international on the edge of the area went unpunished by referee Kevin Friend. But the visitors overcame the early blow when they went ahead through Turner's header after 11 minutes. Middlesbrough v Cardiff facts This was the 50th league meeting between the sides. Cardiff had won 23 and lost 16 of the previous 49. Between them, these clubs have drawn 31 Championship games this term: Cardiff 16, Middlesbrough 15. Lawrence's corner found Turner unmarked at the far post and the former Coventry centre-half's header found the bottom corner. Former Boro defender Andrew Taylor fired wide before Jutkiewicz spurned a golden chance to equalise when he headed Joe Bennett's cross wide Substitute Mason, who had replaced the injured Miller, doubled Cardiff's lead on 19 minutes with his 10th goal of the season. Lawrence played the the ball across the six-yard box from the right and Mason was left unmarked to sidefoot the ball into the bottom corner. Boro's response was a 25-yard effort from captain Barry Robson which keeper David Marshall was forced to turn away. Defender Seb Hines headed Hammill's corner straight at Marshall and Jutkiewicz fired wide while Steele denied Mason at the other end. Use accessible player and disable flyout menus Interview: Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay Middlesbrough started the second half brightly and Hammill's angled drive hit the post three minutes after the restart before Scott McDonald rifled a shot over the crossbar. Cardiff's chances were limited in the second half but the home side were restricted to long-range efforts with Robson's free-kick easily held by Marshall and Hammill firing straight at the keeper. Jutkiewicz headed McDonald's cross just wide with four minutes remaining while defender Stephen McManus lifted his effort over the crossbar in the closing stages. Cardiff held on to record only their second win in 11 games but Tony Mowbray's side have now failed to win any of their last seven matches and drop down a place to eighth in the Championship. Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6) Middlesbrough 01 Steele 02 Hoyte 03 Bennett Booked 06 McManus 15 Hines 08 Thomson (Emnes - 62' ) 10 Bailey (Ogbeche - 84' ) 11 Hammill (Martin - 69' ) 17 Robson 07 McDonald 30 Jutkiewicz Substitutes 29 McMahon 22 Martin 33 Smallwood 09 Emnes 16 Ogbeche Cardiff City 01 Marshall 03 Taylor Booked 05 Hudson 25 Turner 07 Whittingham Booked 08 Cowie 13 Lawrence 17 Gunnarsson 23 Blake 37 McPhail Booked (Gestede - 54' ) 09 Miller (Mason - 6' ) Substitutes 22 Heaton 02 McNaughton 10 Earnshaw 15 Gestede (McNaughton - 86' ) 20 Mason Ref: Friend Att: 17,564