Drenched and disappointed. On a filthy day in Devon, Middlesbrough twice led at Plymouth but were pegged back and had to settle for a point after a six-goal thriller at Home Park. Argyle were good value in a brilliant game, but the overriding Boro emotion will be frustration.

Against the side who he very nearly joined in the summer, Josh Coburn fired Boro into a first half lead, but Argyle led at half-time after a quickfire double.

Four days after fighting back from behind at the break to win at Exeter, Boro looked set to do the same again after an equaliser from Coburn on the hour mark before Greenwood slotted Michael Carrick’s side ahead four minutes later. But, as was the case in the first half, Boro again failed to take advantage of the control they had in the game and conceded a sloppy equaliser 13 minutes from time.

The home side might well feel they deserve the point for playing their part in an entertaining affair and Argyle’s slick attacking play did cause Boro problems at times. But having twice led – with the opener and the third goal followed by periods of Boro dominance – this was a game Carrick’s side should have won.

Plymouth came into this on the back of just one win in their last six games, but 12 of their 15 points this season have come at home and they stuck six past Norwich at Home Park in September.

There was a warning for Boro after just two and a half minutes when Seny Dieng was called into action. Ex--Sunderland youngster Bali Mumba played a clever-one two in the box and tried to round Dieng, but the Boro keeper stood his ground before getting down well to his left to make a smart save.

The football served up by the home side in the early stages was crisp and easy on the eye. A cross from the right was flashed across the face of goal, as Boro survived another scare. But Carrick’s side then started to settle, and at the midway stage of the first half Coburn prodded home the opening goal.

Matt Crooks’ shot from the edge of the box was initially blocked, but Boro kept it alive and worked it to Engel on the left, who drilled the ball across the face into the path of the striker.

Boro could have added to their advantage twice in the five minutes that followed the opener. First, with Plymouth naively committing bodies forward, Boro broke at speed and had men over but Jones’ through-ball was poor and cut-out. Soon after, a fine Crooks volley from a corner on the right was well saved by Michael Cooper. They’d soon be made to pay for not taking advantage of those opportunities.

Plymouth’s first was a fine team move as they worked it from right to left and into the path of Mumba to slot home, but it was poor from Boro’s perspective. Rav van den Berg got sucked inside and wasn’t helped by Jones who was ball-watching.

The second goal four minutes later also came down Plymouth’s left. Dangerman Mumba played it to Azaz, who created a yard for himself with a clever shuffle before curling it into the top corner from the left edge of the box.

Another second half show was required – and Boro didn’t disappoint.

The improvement after the restart was immediate.Boro had four efforts on goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Greenwood curled a free-kick just over before a low drive that was well saved by Cooper. Hackney volleyed into the hands of goalkeeper Cooper just after a brilliant through-ball looked to have set Coburn away but there was a mix-up between the striker and Crooks, who eventually skewed a shot wide.

Boro got what they deserved on the hour mark. Plymouth made a mess of trying to play it out from the back, conceded possession and Greenwood was fouled by Dan Scarr inside the box. Coburn stepped up and although his penalty was saved, the striker was on hand to tap in the rebound.

Four minutes later, Boro were in front. Greenwood, having won the penalty for the second, scored the third. A fine goal it was as well. Jones played away Crooks down the right, who crossed for the Leeds United loanee to slide the ball into the bottom corner.

Boro felt they should have had another penalty when Jones was fouled by Mickel Miller but referee Darren England judged the foul to have been committed just outside the area.

As was the case in the first half before Plymouth’s equaliser, Boro looked to be in control but were pegged back. It was another poor goal to concede as well. Whittaker looked to cross a free-kick from the right rather than go for goal but his delivery bounced through everyone and into the far corner.

Such were the conditions the final stages were played in, had the heavens opened any earlier, the game might not have finished. The pitch, a carpet early on, was more of a bog, which made it difficult for Boro to take advantage of a glorious opportunity to counter late on.