Boro won an eight-goal thriller as they continued their pre-season preparations at Doncaster Rovers.
Goals from Hayden Hackney, Finn Azaz, Riley McGree, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Sonny Finch sealed a 5-3 victory on an entertaining afternoon at the Eco-Power Stadium.
It was a third pre-season win in a row for Michael Carrick’s side following victories over Bolton Wanderers and Gateshead.
The home side started brightly and almost opened the scoring in the seventh minute, but Luke Molyneux’s strike from the right of the area dropped wide.
Boro grew into it and built up a spell of dominance before Hackney found the net in brilliant fashion midway through the first half. His dipping effort from 25 yards bounced in front of Doncaster goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe and nestled in the bottom corner.
There were several opportunities to double the lead, with Azaz seeing two shots from the edge of the area deflected wide and McGree denied by a block.
Luke Ayling went closer still with a stunning 25-yard strike with his left foot which crashed against the crossbar.
Against the run of play, Doncaster drew level five minutes before half-time as Molyneux worked some space for himself on the inside-right of the box and fired in.
Billy Sharp struck the side netting just 30 seconds into the second half for the hosts, but he did not have to wait too much longer to put his team in front.
Sharp hit a firm penalty into Seny Dieng’s bottom-right corner after Joe Sbarra was fouled in the area.
Boro were not behind for long, though, with Azaz drawing them level after bringing the ball onto his left foot and stroking it past Sharman-Lowe from 20 yards.
Carrick’s men were again displaying some of their best qualities and a silky move led to them taking the lead again. Ayling played the decisive ball as he touched it back to McGree, who sent it first time into the corner of the net.
Latte Lath was next to add his name to the scoresheet, finishing into the roof of the net after Sharman-Lowe had parried an Azaz fizzer.
Doncaster pulled one back on 71 minutes as two substitutes combined, with Joe Ironside heading in a George Miller cross.
Boro remained in full flow, though, and after a series of substitutions, two of them linked up to make it five.
It was a goal made in the Academy as George McCormick played in Finch and he slotted in his second of pre-season.
Boro are back in action on Wednesday with a pre-season trip to Harrogate Town.
Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe, Olowu, Wood, Molyneux, Broadbent, Sbarra, Sharp, Nixon, Bailey, Yeboah, Senior.
Subs: Lawlor, Oram, Sterry, Maxwell, Miller, Gibson, Ironside, Hurst, McGrath, Flint, Williams.
Goals: Molyneux (40), Sharp pen (47), Ironside (71).
Boro: Dieng, van den Berg, Clarke, Hackney (Barlaser 78), McGree (Burgzorg 70), Latte Lath (Coburn 70), Jones (Morris 78), Ayling (Dijksteel 78), Howson (Finch 78), Azaz (Gilbert 78), Engel (McCormick 78).
Subs: Glover, Brynn, McCabe.
Goals: Hackney (23), Azaz (49), McGree (54), Latte Lath (63), Finch (82).