Michael Carrick hailed his Middlesbrough players for "finding a way to win" as they once again came from behind to extend their winning run to three games.

Chuba Akpom cancelled out Jordan Clark's first half opener for Luton Town before Matt Crooks once again came off the bench to snatch a stoppage time winner and move Boro into the top half of the Championship table, just three points shy of the top six.

Carrick said: “I’m happy with it because it didn’t come easy but we found a way to win. It’s not always going to be the easy on the eye football and flowing like most of our performances so far have been.

"We’ve played some really good stuff I think, since I’ve come. Today we had to find a little bit within ourselves because it was a bit sticky at times today, particularly in the first half.

"You could see we were lacking that little yard of sharpness and connection and rhythm from where we left off [before the break]. But at the same time, second half I thought we were finding that as the game went on and looked dangerous towards the end, even before the sending off I thought. I thought we looked like we were starting to show what he had been before and so I’m delighted with the lads for digging in and showing that attitude and belief to keep doing the right."

Carrick picked out "immense" defensive duo Dael Fry and Darragh Lenihan for praise and revealed that his half-time message to the players was to be patient.

Asked whether he felt the four week stoppage was the reason for the sluggish opening to the game, Carrick said: “It might have been the break, but it might have just been one of those games. I’ve been there myself in games where it just doesn’t quite click.

"Credit to Luton for that. They asked a lot of questions of us and I thought Dael and Darragh at the back were immense were for us because they had to deal with a lot. They were fantastic and didn’t really give them a lot in terms of any flick-ons or crosses.

"We dealt with all that ever so well. We come in at half time and we just said, ‘keep going and keep believing’. You can get a second wind at times and we understood that it was that type of game where it doesn’t come easy. But the boys found a way and obviously it’s a terrific to win it at the end in what’s always a great way to win in terms of the energy and boost within the squad. I’m delighted for the whole group."

The head coach added: “It wasn’t so much just the winning, it was how we grew into the game and kept trying to do the things that we’ve been talking about. It’s not easy to keep getting on the ball when you’ve just given it away twice. But actually, to keep getting the ball and keep trying you find your way into the game, and the spaces that we wanted to exploit in the game you start creating from as the game went on.

"It’s not always easy to do that. It’s easier to revert to the simplest way of playing and not always offering yourself for the ball. But I thought the boys were patient and showed quality the more the game went on."

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