Michael Carrick reacts as Middlesbrough move into Carabao Cup third round with late win over Bolton Wanderers

Michael Carrick’s side fell behind midway through the first half when Dion Charles converted after Josh Sheehan’s attempt was parried his way by Boro goalkeeper Tom Glover.

The Teessiders, whose only win so far this season came in the opening round of the League Cup against Huddersfield Town, might have feared the worst at that point but they levelled the scores within 10 minutes through Matt Crooks.

Crooks finished well from Paddy McNair’s ball before being forced off with a knee injury.

Boro improved after the break and looked the more likely to find a winner but they had to wait until stoppage time for that to arrive when Riley McGree fired in superbly from the edge of the area in front of an impressive away following at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Carrick’s side weren’t done there, though, as there was still time for Morgan Rogers to score his first goal for the club since his summer move from Manchester City when he finished inside the area from McGree’s clever pass.

“I’m absolutely delighted, delighted for the players and delighted for the supporters. Even if we hadn’t got that goal at the end I think everyone could see how well the boys had played,” Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

“It kind of summed up our start to the season in many ways, things not dropping for us or going for us but we found a way. The boys stuck at it, they kept going, they kept positive and they kept believing and I think they felt that energy.

"You could sense it between the players and the supporters at that end and I was praying it was a matter of time and so it proved to be.

“I knew it was going to be a tough night with the way they play but we wore them down in the second half and the quality shone through.

"The boys had that extra little bit of confidence and you could feel that coming back and they did exactly what we know they’re capable of.

"They were two really good goals. It was a good way to finish, the boys deserved that and needed that feeling and if you do win it late it’s the perfect way in the end because you get that feeling you can appreciate.”

Carrick will be hoping his side can now translate their cup form into the league when they welcome Queens Park Rangers to the Riverside this weekend as they look for their first win in the Championship this season before the international break.

"We’re not taking that for granted and thinking all of a sudden everything comes easy and that the three points on Saturday are a given just because we won tonight,” said Carrick.

"It does give us a lift and it does give us confidence but it’s a tough game.They gave Southampton a very tough game last week and it's a tough league as we all know.”