MIDDLESBROUGH (4-1-4-1):
7 Lonergan: Was the penalty hero as he made decisive full-length saves from Stead and Jones to win the shoot-out
8 Mahmutovic: Capped an excellent debut with his first senior goal as he headed home Johnson’s cross from close range
6 Ayala: Seemed to be easing his way back in as he returned from injury and struggled against the physical Stead
6 Fry: Wasn’t always comfortable when Notts County played the ball into the box, but kept on throwing himself into tackles
7 McGinley: An accomplished debut from the young full-back, who looked comfortable in both halves of the field
6 Leadbitter: Didn’t exert the kind of measured control that might have been affected, but dispatched Boro’s first penalty
6 Chapman: Made a couple of dangerous breaks into the box, but saw his debut cruelly cut short by a shoulder injury
6 McNair: Scored from the spot, but wasn’t able to make too many breaks into the heart of the penalty area
7 Tavernier: Converted his penalty and was a driving force at the heart of the midfield for the majority of the evening
8 JOHNSON: Boro’s most dangerous player by a distance as he delivered a series of dangerous balls from the left-hand side
8 Fletcher: Claimed two goals – the second of which was an excellent finish – and carried a threat all night
Subs:
8 Walker (for Chapman, 42): Set up Fletcher’s third goal and showed impressive maturity as he demanded his side’s third spot-kick
6 Wood (for Ayala, 62): Became the youngest player in Middlesbrough’s history at the age of 16 years and 75 days
6 Spence (for Fry, 66): Added some pace and energy in the right-back slot in the final half-hour
(not used): Randolph (gk), Reading, de Sart, O’Neill.
NOTTS COUNTY (3-4-1-2):
Fitzsimons 6; Bird 6, Hewitt 5, Duffy 6 (Brisley 55, 5); Hawkridge 7, Crawford 6, Husin 7 (Patching 68, 5), Jones 6; Kellett 6 (Campbell 75); Alessandra 6, STEAD 8.
Subs (not used): Culverwell (gk), Thomas, Osbourne, Dunn.
Man Of The Match: MARVIN JOHNSON – The Boro winger troubled the Notts County defence whenever he ran with the ball at his feet.
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