After defeat in South Wales on Saturday, Nottingham Forest headed north on Tuesday night aiming to keep alive their play-off hopes against a demoralised Middlesbrough side.
Beleaguered ‘Boro went into the game having earned just 8 points from a possible 51 on offer in 2013 and having slumped from second to 10th, eight points below the play-offs.
For the Reds it was an immediate chance to bounce back from the first defeat of Billy Davies’ second spell with the club but they were unable to reply to Carayol's 42nd minute goal for the hosts.
Results elsewhere mean Forest are down one place to 8th but remain only a single point off a play-off spot.
Reaction: Davies said afterwards: "We started well as we have in a number of games, I thought we had a couple of very good chances. Decision-making at time was careless, they scored against run of play.
"After that it was jittery, chasing things, we had to put strikers on to chase the game.
"We're only one point behind the play-off places so it goes down to the last game. We've got an exciting last three games."