Match Review: Boro 1 Birmingham City 0

Boro’s bombardment of Birmingham City finally reaped its reward as Morgan Rogers bagged a last-gasp winner to send the Riverside delirious.

The Teessiders bossed the entirety of the contest and had been banging at the Blues door before it eventually caved – marking six straight wins in all competitions.

Returning to Championship action after the latest round of internationals, Wayne Rooney’s inaugural match as Birmingham City manager had caused quite the stir amongst national media prior to kick-off – the intrigue not excluding his opposite number in the home dugout.

Rooney and Michael Carrick remain the only Englishmen to have won every accolade on these shores and the former team-mates shared 366 matches together for both the Red Devils and England.

Putting their friendship on hold for 90 minutes, the Boro boss named an unchanged XI from the side that thrashed Sunderland 4-0 before the international break.

Rav van den Berg also returned to the matchday squad, having been forced to pull out of the Wear-Tees derby due to injury in the warm-up.

While much of the build-up had surrounded the appointment of Manchester United’s record goalscorer, it was Boro who burst out of the traps as the game commenced.

Josh Coburn prodded wide after a clever interchange between Matt Crooks and Isaiah Jones, Sam Greenwood stung the palms of John Ruddy with a fierce delivery and only a last-ditch clearance denied Lukas Engel’s low cross.

At the other end, a diving Seny Dieng kept out Krystian Bielik from the edge of the area with Paddy McNair there to mop up the loose ball.

With a quarter of an hour on the clock, there were mass Boro appeals for a penalty. Neat play saw Matt Crooks flash a shot wide, via a deflection, before the midfielder was sent to the deck by Dion Sanderson – a corner was the decision from referee Rebecca Welch.

Boro were bossing it. Coburn powered a header over the crossbar, a late offside flag spoiled Jones’ cool finish and Coburn drilled wide following Greenwood’s delightful lay-off.

It was neat, patient play by the Teessiders, who, when out of possession, refused to allow Birmingham time and space on the ball.

The epitome of that came through Greenwood’s harrying of Cody Drameh, resulting in a free kick in the left channel when Engel was brought down by Gary Gardner, earning the Blues' midfielder a booking.

And, after Coburn was inches away from connecting with Greenwood’s inviting ball, Boro penalty shouts again fell on deaf ears – Isaiah Jones the man caught in the area.

Minutes after picking up their first yellow card, John Ruddy was the second name into Welch's notebook, bringing down Jones 25 yards out from goal.

As the players emerged for the second period, the one-way traffic continued.

A full-stretch Ruddy tipped behind Hackney’s curling attempt and, from the resulting corner, Crooks’ header was grasped on the line.

Crooks then burrowed his way forward once more, almost causing a mix-up at the back as the ball bobbled towards goal and Engel saw Ruddy gleefully keep a hold of his piledriver.

With Greenwood providing the dummy run, Coburn spun in behind to release a shot down the throat of the Blues keeper, which would prove the forward’s last notable act – Emmanuel Latte Lath on as his replacement in the 66^th minute.

The substitute received a whack on the head during his first involvement and, after a period of stoppage, the Teessiders continued to unleash wave upon wave of attack.

Dael Fry’s thunderous header was somehow kept at bay and Ruddy again pulled off a remarkable stop to keep out Crooks’ deflected pullback.

Having plucked away for the entire contest, the deserved goal Boro craved finally came in the 89th minute, Morgan Rogers nipping in at the front post to spark bedlam inside the Riverside.

And with eight minutes of additional time, it was the Teessiders who looked the most likely to convert, Paddy McNair rifled a volley at goal and Latte Lath squirmed one into the arms of Ruddy.