Middlesbrough legend Neil Maddison covered his former side’s meeting with West Bromwich Albion live on BBC Tees Sport on Tuesday.
Boro faced a trip to The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening, aiming to make it two wins on the spin for the first time this season.
Middlesbrough beat Stoke City 2-0 in their previous fixture, giving them a big confidence boost ahead of the day’s marquee Championship clash against West Bromwich Albion.
Boro were predicted to beat West Brom but a close game was still expected and that is exactly what transpired.
The match got off to a slow start with one of the assistant referees requiring medical attention early in the first half.
Once play resumed, it was Michael Carrick’s men who had the better of the chances in the first 45.
Riley McGree missed a sitter after getting on the end of a deflected Finn Azaz strike while Emmanuel Latte Lath saw a headed effort saved by Alex Palmer.
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Neil Maddison praised Aidan Morris and Hayden Hackney
When all was said and done, Boro secured back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Hackney was Boro’s standout performer and won the game in the 73rd minute with another stunning effort from the edge of the box.
Now, following the tie, ex-Boro star Neil Maddison, speaking live on BBC Tees Sport post-match, gave his verdict on the clash and was full of praise for both Hackney and Aidan Morris.
He said: “Before the game we would have taken a draw all day long. But as the game went on I felt it was there for us.
“We were the better side, we created better opportunities. There were great individual performances from Boro as well.
“The two midfielders especially were outstanding. What a win that is – a statement win.”
Jonny Howson may struggle to get back into Middlesbrough team
Morris has been outstanding for Middlesbrough since his £3.18m transfer from Columbus Crew over the summer.
And while the American may not have been at his best on Tuesday evening, he and Hackney are forming a very promising partnership at the base of Boro’s midfield.
The pair have excelled in Boro’s last two games which could be bad news for Middlesbrough captain, Jonny Howson.
The 36-year-old picked up a hamstring problem against Leeds United in August and has been sidelined since.
However, Howson is likely to return for the Teessiders later this month and despite previously being a key asset for Carrick, he may struggle to get back into the team ahead of Morris and Hackney.