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Boro served up a Christmas cracker for a bumper Boxing Day crowd with a polished 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Aitor Karanka's side dominated throughout but were held at bay in the first half as the visiting keeper made three good saves.
But George Friend headed the opener soon after the restart then Jelle Vossen cracked in the second and Grant Leadbitter slammed home a late third from the spot.
That kept Boro in fourth spot and just three points behind leaders Bournemouth, an important victory on a day when all the team above them won.
There was a sell out crowd at the Riverside for the first time since the visit of Manchester United in May 2009 and the bumper gate was the highest in the second tier since 37,030 watched a 2-1 Boxing Day win at Ayresome Park in 1973.
Boro made three changes as Ben Gibson returned for Daniel Ayala, Lee Tomlin for Adam Reach and Kike for Vossen while Rhys Williams was on the bench after almost a year out with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Boro pressed in the second minute as Patrick Bamford weaved forward then tried to pick out Kike but the ball was cleared for a corner that was cleared.
Then George Friend got down the left on four minutes and slotted into the box for Kike to collect and step inside his man neatly to find space eight yards out but his angled shot came back off the legs of the keeper before being nervously scrambled away.
The early high tempo dropped and there was a spell with Boro on top and probing the visiting defence with little joy.
Forest had a half-chance on 11 minutes as Burke wriggled down the right and drilled in a low 25 yard shot from a tight angle that was easily held at the near post by Dimi Konstantopoulos.
There was a lengthy hold-up as Forest defender Mancienne went down needing treatment.
Boro threatened on 15 minutes as a crisp move sent Adomah down the left and crossed towards the near post but keeper Darlow collected as Kike and Bamford attacked it.
Then, after Boro played patiently out from the back, Adam Clayton chipped forward for Kike to chest down into the path of Adomah who carried the ball forward to the edge of the box and stabbed in a low shot that was easily held.
On 20 minutes as Forest cross into the box was only half cleared then Burke's half-volley was deflected over by Ben Gibson for a corner that unmarked Antonio attacked but failed to connect.
Boro almost got the opener on 25 minutes as Kike chased a quick ball over the top into the box then played a neat back-heel into the path of Friend who fired in an angled drive that was well saved.
Forest responded with a good spell of possession and Boro worked hard to hold them at bay until Antonio got past Bamford on the left to cross in but Konstantopoulos was out quickly to collect.
Straight up the other end, Boro hassled Forest out of possession on the edge of their own box but Adomah's low 20 yard shot was weak and straight at the keeper.
Forest broke out and quickly got forward before Tesche fired in a low 25 yard effort that was routinely held by Konstantopoulos.
Boro threatened again on 33 minutes as Bamford tricked to the edge of the box and when he was blocked the loose ball ran square for Kike to send in a snap-shot that was deflected wide then the resulting corner was headed behind.
The second flag-kick was cut back to Clayton on the corner of the box and when he squared Adomah slammed in a piledriver that was charged down in the box.
On 39 minutes Mancienne was booked for a foul on Leadbitter.
From the free-kick Gibson – still wearing his protective helmet – went in for a header and was clattered by keeper Darlow and needed treatment.
Boro went close on 42 minutes as Emilio Nsue got down the right then drilled a low cross to the near post that forced defender Wilson to head behind.
Then when the corner was only half-cleared it was knocked back to the edge of the box for Friend to unleash an angled half-volley towards the top corner but Darlow went full length to save superbly.
Then on the stroke of half-time Nsue again skipped past his man to curl in a cross but the keeper collected easily.
Then after a series of throws the ball landed at the feet of Kike in a crowd and he turned well to hold it up then chipped to the far post but it dipped just beyond Adomah.
Then in stoppage time Bamford fired over after turning sharply on the edge of the box.
HALF-TIME: BORO 0 FOREST 0
Forest brought on Vaughan for Assombalonga at the break and switched from 532 to 451.
Boro almost broke through on 49 minutes as after some patient sidewards passing Clayton chipped over the defence for Adomah to control on the edge of the box but the flag was up.
But Boro's dominance was reward with the opener on 53 minutes as they won a corner and when Leadbitter swung it in GEORGE FRIEND climbed highest to put a looping header into the top corner.
On 54 minutes Forest's Wilson was booked for a foul on Bamford wide on the right and the resulting free-kick bounced through the box and beyond the far post.
Boro almost broke through again on 58 minutes as Adomah through a tackle and stumbled but managed to push the ball forward to Kike in the box but he was sent flying by a last gasp Mancienne tackle but optimistic shouts for a penalty were waved away.
In a rare foray forward Forest got to the edge of the Boro box for Tesche to fire well wide then straight up the other end a quick interchange of passes in the middle released Bamford to carry towards the box then lash wide.
Forest pushed forward again on 64 minutes as a Lichaj miskick screwed high into the box for Fox to head goalwards but Konstantopoulos gathered routinely.
Then a Forest ball in from the left found Fryatt but his 12 yard unchallenged header dropped weakly for the keeper to collect.
Forest were down to 10 men on 67 minutes as Kelvin was shown a second yellow then a red for rattling Kike from behind.
Kike hobbled off with Jelle Vossen coming on.
Boro went close on 70 minutes as Nsue down down the flank to the byline and whipped in a wait high cross to the near post that Adomah steered just wide.
Then, the broke forward with a good move as Tomlin scooped a ball over the static defence for Friend to over-lap but he was chased back and hustled off the ball.
Then after a corner was scrambled away to the edge of the box Tomlin sent a shot looping high over.
On 73 minutes Adam Reach came on for Tomlin.
Boro threatened again on 78 minutes as a Forest attack broke down and Adomah superbly controlled a loose ball on his thigh then slotted down the right for Vossen to burst forwad and cut inside but his shot was deflected wide at the near post.
But Boro got a second on 79 minutes as Reach touched a long ball into the path of Bamford on the edge of the box to barge through a heavy challenge and the loose ball squirted square for JELLE VOSSEN to crack in a sizzling shot.
On 81 minutes Forest put on Veldwijk for Antonio.
And Boro sealed a deserved win it with a third from the penalty spot on 87 minutes.
A neat ball sent Bamford racing clear into the box and when the keeper came sliding out and sent him tumbling the ref pointed to the spot and GRANT LEADBITTER slammed home.
It was the skipper's 11th goal of the season with seven from the spot.
On 89 minutes Rhys Williams came on for Bamford to a huge cheer.
Boro finished the game sweeping the ball around with the crowd cheering and chanting “Ole!”
BORO: Dimi, Friend, Gibson, Omeruo, Nsue, Leadbitter ( c), Clayton, Adomah, Tomlin (Reach 73), Bamford (Williams 89), Kike (Vossen 69).
Subs: Mejias, Whitehead, Veljkovic, Wildschut.
FOREST: Darlow, Lichaj, Wilson, Fox, Mancienne (c), Tesche, Osborn, Antonio (Veldwijk 81), Burke, Fryatt, Assombalonga (Vaughan).
Subs: de Vries, Lascelles, Hunt, Laing, Paterson.
Ref: Scott Duncan (Northumberland)
Att: 32,277 (1,399 away fans)
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