IT’S the season of giving, after all, and Swansea gifted Middlesbrough a late winner as Michael Carrick’s side put an end to their recent losing run and got back on track in the Championship.

Boro looked destined to head back to Teesside from Wales with a point after Sam Greenwood’s first half opener had been cancelled out by Jamal Lowe just before the hour mark.

But as the game approached its final 10 minutes, home keeper Carl Rushworth inexplicably picked up a back-pass, presenting Boro with the opportunity to take aim from just six yards out. There was still plenty of work to be done, with those in white crowding the goal-line - but two Boro substitutes combined as Morgan Rogers touched the ball into the path of Sammy Silvera, who spotted a gap and precisely drilled in the winner.

In truth, Boro weren’t great. But they’ve played well and lost on occasions this season, so Carrick will take heart from the fact his side found a way – particularly after the setback of letting the lead slip. After four defeats in five and three on the bounce, it was the points not the performance that mattered in Wales, and this victory sets Boro up nicely for their Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Port Vale on Tuesday.

The win didn’t come without concern, though. Seny Dieng was forced off injured in stoppage time.

Swansea’s record of just two wins from 10 games at home this season prior to this weekend contributed to the exit of Mike Duff last month, but his interim replacement has got a tune out of the players and they welcomed Boro on the back of picking up four points from two games since the change in the dugout.

The early stages were cagey but it was the home side who soon took charge and had the better of the opportunities. Boro were twice undone by crosses from the right and grateful for poor finishing. Josh Key missed the target with a free header inside the box before centre-half Bashir Humphreys beat Seny Dieng in the air but glanced wide of the far post.

There was another let-off for Boro at the midway stage of the first half when Jamal Lowe beat the offside trap and teed up Liam Walsh, whose passed finish was only narrowly wide of Dieng’s right post.

Boro saw more of the ball than Swansea in the opening half an hour but didn’t look like doing anything with it. The home side crowded out those in red whenever they advanced into the final third, but patient build-up led to a first shot on target when Crooks picked out Greenwood, whose shot almost squirmed past Rushworth at the Swansea keeper’s front post.

Swansea continued to look the more threatening but were made to pay for their carelessness in front of goal when Boro got themselves in front just before half-time. Crooks did superbly well, floating inside with the ball at his feet before spotting and picking out Greenwood with a fine reverse pass and the Leeds loanee kept his cool to find the bottom corner.

Chasing the game, it was Swansea who now dominated the ball in the early stages of the second half and it looked nicely set-up to play out in the favour of Boro, who were a threat on the counter.

But just before the hour mark came the equaliser and – like several goals they’ve conceded of late – it was awfully soft from Boro’s perspective. Tymon had the time and space to pick out a cross and, Lowe, six yards out and unmarked, couldn’t miss with his header.

Swansea were buoyed and, as was the case for the most of the first half, on top again. Fulton tried to force his way through before Paterson wanted a penalty but referee Matthew Donohue was wise to the game played by the ex-Boro trialist, who was booked for diving.

As Swansea looked for the second goal, Boro still had the opportunity to catch the home side on the break. They almost did exactly that when Jones raced through on the right but was denied by the feet of Rushworth, and Latte Lath was crowded out on the rebound.

Carrick turned to his bench with 20 minutes to play, introducing Rogers, Silvera and Lukas Engel for Crooks, Greenwood and Bangura – and two of the substitutes made an almost instant impact as Boro retook the lead.

Boro were gifted an indirect free-kick six yards out after a Swansea pass-back. Most of the players in white took residence on the goal-line but Silvera managed to squeeze a low strike in at the front post after Rogers touched it into his path.

From that stage onwards, Boro managed it well, even after Dieng’s injury and with six minutes added on. In fact, it was the visitors who came closest in the dying seconds when Jones' shot crashed back off the bar.