The curtain came down on Boro's week-long camp in Portugal with a behind-closed-doors training game against CD Santa Clara.
The Azores-based outfit - the western-most club in Europe - won the game with a first half goal as they continued their preparations for their UEFA Conference League campaign.
But new Boro head coach Rob Edwards had plenty to take away from the encounter and was pleased to see his players control the game for large parts.
Boro were a bigger threat than the Portuguese, who are already well into their pre-season, and 23 players were given the opportunity to stake an early claim and impress.
The first half was a particularly feisty affair, but Boro squared up to the physical Santa Clara side and, after conceding early went on to dominate.
Alex Gilbert went close twice - first he forced a great save before seeing a free-kick deflected wide - and in the second half Darragh Lenihan almost equalised late on with a header from a free-kick.
Boro will be back at Rockliffe next week ahead of the first UK friendly, at Mansfield Town on Saturday (3pm).
