GASTON RAMIREZ scored one of the Riverside Stadium’s finest ever solo goals to help steer Middlesbrough towards a much-needed three points against Bournemouth.

The Uruguayan found the net for the first time in the Premier League in a Boro shirt and it was well worth the wait.

Ramirez, signed permanently in the summer after leaving behind Southampton, displayed his individual brilliance to finish off a run from deep inside his own half by beating goalkeeper Artur Boruc seven minutes before half-time.

Nine minutes after the restart Stewart Downing found the net in the top-flight wearing a Middlesbrough shirt for the first time since May 2008 to give Karanka’s men the extra cushion required to seal a second win of the season.

Middlesbrough, who climbed two points clear of the bottom three, were searching to end a run of three consecutive defeats on home soil and the draw with Stoke City on the opening weekend was the only time they had claimed a point.

But Aitor Karanka’s side headed into the visit of the Cherries in stronger spirits after claiming hard-earned draw at Arsenal seven days earlier.

There had to be a couple of changes to that starting line-up, though, with Marten de Roon and Daniel Ayala missing from the match-day squad, so Calum Chambers and Stewart Downing returned.

The return of Downing meant Ramirez could slot back into the central role but it was from down the left that he did the damage with half-time approaching. He broke up a Bournemouth attack deep inside his own half and with his first touch he rolled a ball beyond full-back Adam Smith to dart in behind. The South American exploited the space in front of him before side-stepping Andrew Surman in the visitors’ box before calmly finishing beyond Boruc.

Before that goalkeeper Victor Valdes had tipped a Josh King half volley against the bar and Adam Clayton had cleared a header from the same player off the line. Those stops proved crucial as the game developed.

Nine minutes after the break Downing made it two. Adama Traore, whose pace and trickery made Bournemouth’s defence wary, teased over a back post cross with the outside of his boot, Alvaro Negredo nodded back across goal where Downing applied the finish.

Valdes had to make further stops, the best of which was from Benik Afobe, and that ensured Middlesbrough preserved their lead to give the home fans something to cheer.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Valdes; Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Friend; Clayton, Forshaw; Traore (Fischer 90), Ramirez (Leadbitter 63), Downing; Negredo (Rhodes 85). Subs: Guzan (gk), Fabio, Bernardo, Nugent.

BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Ibe (Fraser 60), Arter (Gosling 73), Surman, Wilshere, King; Wilson (Afobe 60). Subs: Federici (gk), Ake, Gradel, Mings.