WHEN Neil Warnock handed Duncan Watmore a short-term contract to the middle of January last month, he challenged him to produce enough on the pitch to merit the award of a deal until at least the end of the season. After last night’s efforts, the Middlesbrough forward can expect to have a pen in his hand soon.

Watmore’s first two goals in a Middlesbrough shirt handed Warnock the perfect belated birthday present after the Boro boss turned 72 on Tuesday. His first, which came midway through the first half, came with a slice of luck, as his shot took a hefty deflection off Marc Guehi, but there was nothing fortunate about his second, which came midway through the second period, and which was the result of a clinical low finish.

Signed to add something different to Boro’s attacking arsenal, Watmore, who endured two years of injury hell during his time as a Sunderland player, has already come up trumps. His pace and direct running are major assets, and on this evidence, he could play a crucial role in the remainder of the season. Having signed up Paddy McNair to a long-term contract earlier this week, Watmore will surely be next.

No one will begrudge the 26-year-old his success after all he has gone through, with Warnock’s eye for a potential bargain leading him to Watmore’s door when he was searching for a free agent in October. While no one wanted to take a gamble on the former England Under-21 international, Warnock sensed a player with something to prove. His faith has already proved justified.

Watmore’s goals enabled Boro to get back to winning ways after their temporary hiccup at Huddersfield at the weekend, and while Yan Dhanda’s 78th-minute strike set up a somewhat nervy finale, the hosts held on to claim a fully-merited three points.

Had Swansea won, they could potentially have gone to the top of the table. Instead, it was Boro reinforcing their promotion credentials.

Swansea’s return to the Riverside highlighted just how much has changed in the six months since Warnock replaced Jonathan Woodgate as Boro boss. The Swans were the first visitors to Teesside after football returned in the wake of the first national lockdown back in June, and their emphatic 3-0 win proved to be the final nail in Woodgate’s coffin, with the then Middlesbrough manager being dismissed a couple of days later.

Woodgate’s muddled team selection for his final fixture hastened his departure – Lukas Nmecha and Rudy Gestede anyone? – and the fact that only three members of last night’s starting line-up also featured in the Boro side that started in June – Dael Fry, Paddy McNair and Jonny Howson - spoke volumes.

Warnock might not have had much money to spend this summer, but he has nevertheless overseen a fairly radical overhaul of the squad. As last night’s victory proved, Boro look a much stronger proposition as a result.

Whereas the Teessiders had repeatedly looked wide open under Woodgate, Warnock has instilled the kind of defensive resilience that has been his trademark throughout his managerial career.

Things had been unexpectedly shaky during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Huddersfield, but faced with a Swansea side who could potentially have climbed to the top of the table with a win, this was a return to the kind of disciplined defensive organisation that Warnock values so highly.

The return to three centre-halves worked, with Marc Bola shuffling across from his usual left-back berth to play alongside Fry and McNair. Bola’s resurrection has been quite remarkable this season, and having proved himself on the left of both a back four and a back five, the former Blackpool defender has now also proved he can flourish at centre-half.

Swansea produced plenty of neat, slick passing, but with Fry and McNair keeping tabs on the visitors’ lively front pairing of Jamal Lowe and Andre Ayew, Marcus Bettinelli was only forced to make one serious save before the break. In fairness to the Boro goalkeeper, who might have done better with Huddersfield’s first goal at the weekend, it was a good stop. Ayew released Lowe into the heart of the area, but Bettinelli parried the striker’s shot. The rebound fell kindly for Connor Roberts, but his follow-up effort was blocked by Marcus Tavernier.

Boro hadn’t really threatened at that stage, but nine minutes later, and the host were claiming the lead courtesy of a landmark moment for Watmore. Marvin Johnson’s slide-rule pass sent Watmore galloping down the left, and after cutting inside, the former Sunderland forward fired in a 20-yard effort that found the bottom corner via a deflection off Guehi’s foot.

This was only Watmore’s second start after joining Boro as a free agent midway through last month, and having overcome two potentially career-ending cruciate injuries during his time at Sunderland, the 26-year-old’s joyous reaction was understandable as he tore away towards the bench to celebrate his strike. It was first goal since scoring in a 5-0 win over Tranmere for Sunderland in October 2019, and a moment of real catharsis.

Watmore was heavily involved again as Boro came close to doubling their lead, pulling the ball back from close to the byline to enable Sam Morsy to fire in a first-time effort that was parried by Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, who is on a season-long loan from Newcastle United.

Swans manager Steve Cooper made a triple substitution at half-time in an attempt to change things, and one of the players he introduced at the interval should really have made an immediate impact.

Bettinelli produced an air kick as he tried to deal with a long ball over the top, leaving Viktor Gyokeres with a clear sight of goal on the edge of the area. A back-tracking Fry made life difficult for the Swansea substitute, but he still should have found the target rather than shooting wildly over the crossbar. Bettinelli, whose error resulted in the opportunity, would have been especially relieved to see the ball sailing into the deserted South Stand.

It proved a rare scare for the home team, who were the more threatening side throughout the second half and twice came close to doubling their lead shortly before the hour mark.

First, Johnson fired in a smart 20-yard effort that Woodman palmed around the left-hand post. Then, after the resultant corner was not cleared, Morsy stabbed in a low strike that Guehi scrambled over his own crossbar from just in front of the goalline.

It felt as though the Teessiders were building up a head of steam, and a deserved second goal duly arrived midway through the second period.

This time it was McNair sending Watmore scampering away from the Swansea defence, and after steadying himself on the right of the area, Boro’s flame-haired forward drilled a crisp low finish across Woodman and into the far corner.

Swansea looked down and out at that stage, but the visitors gave themselves a lifeline as they scored with 12 minutes left.

Substitute Dhanda cut in from the left, and his 20-yard effort took a deflection before beating Bettinelli.