This is where it all began.
Boro set off on a Carling Cup run which was to end with the club lifting the trophy.
Just under 10,500 people were in the Riverside stadium on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 to see the home side defeat Brighton with a Malcolm Christie goal.
Here's how the Gazette reported on the start of Boro's league cup campaign that season - and here's what some of those who were there said after the match.
Carling Cup Win 2004: Boro 1 Brighton 0
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Malcolm Christie’s clinical extra-time winner finally provided Boro with the cutting edge which had been lacking for 94 minutes.
The goal was greeted with more relief than applause, after Boro’s frustrations in front of goal had dragged out this closely-contested Carling Cup tie much longer than the fans must have expected.
But you have to give credit to Second Division Brighton for a dogged and plucky performance.
Steve Coppell’s well-organised outfit came to the Riverside to give Boro a hard game, and they emerged with great credit.
But Brighton’s only real chance of winning the game was to get through to penalties, which left the relatively healthy crowd of more than 10,000 to sit and wait for Boro to make the breakthrough in open play.
The home side did struggle to create, however, and so it was surprising that Christie’s goal, when it eventually arrived, was so simple.
Jon Greening overlapped on the left, got in a first-time cross, and Christie deftly flicked the ball past an otherwise solid-looking goalkeeper in Michel Kuipers.
To their credit, Boro had worked hard and waited patiently for the goal to come.
They stuck to their guns and concentrated on trying to play football.
But poor passing did not help, and the cup progress, rather than the manner in which it was achieved, was all that really mattered at the final whistle.
Steve McClaren did limit his number of changes, as promised, though there was another complete switch up front with Michael Ricketts and Szilard Nemeth replacing Joseph Job and Christie at the start.
However, the two new men managed just a shot apiece.
The only Boro player who looked capable of scoring in the opening 65 minutes was home-grown winger Stewart Downing.
The 19-year-old produced some bright spells of wing play, and also Boro’s best two efforts at goal.
He could consider himself unlucky to be replaced, though Greening’s switch to the left as his replacement also proved very effective.
Greening could not get into the game against Everton, but dug deep to get himself back on track last night, and merited the man of the match selection.
He worked tirelessly and got in lots of crosses as the left flank continued to provide Boro’s best attacking threat.
While Christie replaced Downing in 65 minutes, Juninho also came on - to the biggest cheer of the match so far - when taking over from Ricketts.
Juninho did provide Boro with a much-needed extra bit of urgency and they pushed forward relentlessly in the final 20 minutes of normal time.
But Boro still created few clear-cut chances.
Kuipers made an excellent save from Christie, Franck Queudrue headed wide from a corner when it looked easier to score and then Kuipers saved again, from Greening.
The prospect of penalties was daunting at the start of extra time, but Christie finally settled our nerves with his excellent finish.
However, Boro still needed to rely on a superb save from Mark Schwarzer two minutes later to ensure Boro entered the hat for Saturday’s third round draw.
Brighton substitute Dan Harding’s cross was met with a strong header from Leon Knight, but Schwarzer reacted superbly to tip his close-range effort over the top.
That was effectively the end of the worthwhile action, as Boro coasted through the final 25 minutes of extra play.
In the end it was a case of job done patiently, but that lack of a cutting edge was a worry.
MATCH STATS
Referee: Georger Cain (Merseyside). Weather: Cool, dry. Attendance: 10,435.
Shots: Boro 23 Brighton 6
Corners: Boro 5 Brighton 3
Offsides: Boro 7 Brighton 5
Fouls: Boro 8 Brighton 13
Bookings: Rickets, foul on Hart 37
Scorers: Christie 95
Man of the match: Jonathan Greening
Boro: Schwarzer, Mills, Queudrue, Cooper, Southgate (Riggott 18), Boateng, Greening, Nemeth, Ricketts (Juninho 65), Dorvia (Christie 65). Subs: Nash, Stockdale
Brighton: Kuipers, Hinshelwood, Mayo (Harding 78), Cullip, Butters, Rodger (Pethick 49), Hart (Robinson 102), Carpenter, Knight, McPhee, Jones. Subs: Flitney, Piercy
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