Boro Women exited the FAWNL League Cup after a narrow defeat against Nottingham Forest.
Michael Mulhern made one change to the side which was narrowly beaten at Newcastle in the FA Cup last weekend. With Becky Ferguson available for selection, she made her way into the starting 11.
New signing Chelsea Callander also made her way onto the bench.
Boro had to defend well in the first half against a team that had scored a hatful of goals in the league above.
Forest looked dangerous on the break and attacked with pace, but Grace Boyes did well on a number of occasions to stop anything brewing out wide.
Laura Wareham was eventually called into action as a close-range shot was fired towards goal, but Boro's keeper reacted quickly and saved well into a strong grasp.
Not long later Wareham was beaten, as a low shot into nestled into the bottom corner and gave Forest the lead.
Boro heads didn't drop and they continued to defend well as a unit, frustrating the away side.
Mulhern's side did enjoy some periods of possesion and looked good with some passing moves, but they couldn't work the Forest 'keeper and they went into the break behind.
In the second half Boro continued to defend long spells of Forest possession and limited them to very few chances on goal.
Boro did well to keep themselves in the game and keep a leveller in sight and did come close to some chances on the break.
The biggest chance almost fell perfectly for Armani Maxwell as a great ball just needed a tap into the net, but a last-ditch clearance stopped a certain goal.
From the corner Boro got level, an amazing volley from outside the box from Lauren Robson flew into the top corner.
Boro's confidence was back and they began to play the way they knew they can with some smooth passes and positive play to put Forest on the back foot.
Despite Boro looking good since their leveller, Forest restored their lead through a free-kick when a wide player went unmarked and played the ball across the face of goal for a tap-in to take the lead.
Boro continued to dig deep and keep the gap at just one goal and when the opportunities came put Forest under pressure with some fast counter-attacks.
Sensing there was something still in the game, Mulhern introduced Jess Mett for Robson and Wilkinson made way for Callander who made her Boro debut.
The atmosphere built and Boro kept plugging away as the minutes ticked by, but it wasn't enough and Boro exited the League Cup in the last eight, with a proud performance.
Middlesbrough: Wareham, Packham, Towers, Turnbull, Maxwell, Robson (Mett 75'), Giles, Wilkinson (Callander 73'), Bell, Ferguson, Boyes (C)
Unused subs: Cook, Harland, Ward, Foster