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Boro left it late to claim a nervous win over rock bottom Blackpool that took them to the top of the Championship table.
They scrapped away on a muddy pitch but struggled to make a break through – then just squeezed home in a frantic fuinish.
They made the breakthrough on 81 minutes and had the travelling fans singing about the summit as Jonathan Woodgate slammed home a header.
But it looked like they had shot themselves in the foot soon after as Ben Gibson headed an own goal to silence the fans.
Then in a dramatic finale Kike put a close range header in off the bar to snatch a crucial victory on a night when rivals Bournemouth and Derby drew 2-2.
Aitor Karanka made seven changes to the side that had beaten Charlton 3-1 on Saturday with Dean Whitehead, Adam Reach, Tomas Kalas, Adam Forshaw, Kike, Daniel Ayala and Jonathan Woodgate all starting in a 352 formation.
It was club captain Woodgate's first start since a League Cup win at Oldham in August.
Boro had some early possession but the ball was bobbling about badly on a heavily chewed up surface.
Blackpool showed first as Perkins tricked into space in midfield then slotted a pass into the box but it was too far ahead of Dunne and he stretched to poke a weak shot that Dimi Konstantopoulos saved easily.
Blackpool's Clarke was booked on five minutes for climbing over Kike in the centre-circle.
And Boro almost scored from the free-kick as Adam Clayton chipped over the crowded box to the far side where new boy Forshaw sent a low cushioned effort inches outside the far post.
Boro then had to defend as a Kalas blocked conceded a corner that was headed away then two crosses were cleared and on nine minutes Ayala had to be alert to hook a bouncing ball into the box over his shoulder as Clarke closed in.
Boro went close on 11 minutes as crisp passing move from side to side saw Clayton pick out Adomah on the right and he sent a low ball into the box that forced the keeper to come off his line and dive in to collect before Jelle Vossen could connect eight yards out.
Blackpool threatened on 13 minutes as Davies played a quick low ball forward for Cameron to chase but alert Kalas tracked back and put in a timely tackle as he reached the box.
Boro continued to pass and probe as they came to terms with the rapidly chewing up surface.
They almost broke through on 19 minutes as a long patient move sent Adomah down the right to cross and although Kike couldn't connect with a header it fell to Adam Reach at the far post but he was crowded out before he could find an angle for a shot.
Blackpool broke out to win a corner that was easily cleared them Adomah charged down an attempt to play the loose ball back in.
Then Boro had to clear two corners and two free-kicks as Blackpool knocked the ball into the box.
But Boro almost made the breakthrough on 28 minutes as a routine cross fron Vossen sailed across the face of goal and defender O'Dea put in a needless header that just flashed wide then from the resulting corner Ayala's downward header sent the keeper full length to save at the foot of the post.
Then Clayton sprayed a superb ball wide down the right for Adomah but his cross was charged down.
Once again Boro were forced onto the defensive for a spell as Blackpool pressed forward and first O'Hara then Cameron had to be stopped with timely tackles by Woodgate and Ayala after weaving into the box.
They threatened on the break on 40 minutes as Whitehead pumped a quick ball forward that sent Kike racing forward but the alert keeper dashed well out of his box to just beat him to the drop.
HALF-TIME: BLACKPOOL 0 BORO 0
Blackpool were forced into an early substitution after the restart as Maher replaced injured Dunne on 48 minutes.
And Boro put on Ben Gibson for Ayala on 50 minutes.
Boro almost broke through on 51 minutes as Adomah cut in from the right and slotted a ball into the box for Kike but the last defender stretched to just cut it out.
Straight up the other end Blackpool threatened as Davies touched a ball into the box towards Cameron but Woodgate cleared.
Then on 55 minutes Orlandi pushed a ball down the left for Telford to cut into the box but his low ball towards the near post was cut out by Woodgate.
Boro launched a quick raid on 58 minutes as a ball was played out of defence for Clayton to control and wriggle forward then threaded into the box for Kike but his angled shot was weak and straight at the keeper.
On the hour Boro put on Grant Leadbitter for Whitehead while Blackpool put on ex-Hurworth Acadamy lad Gary Madine for Davies giving him his debut after arriving on loan from Sheffield Wednesday today.
Boro again cut through with a quick counter-attack on 63 minutes as Leadbitter and Reach combined to send Kike to the edge of the box but he dragged his shot just wide under pressure.
Then on 67 minutes from a Kalas ball forward Vossen flicked on and Kike pushed it wide for Reach to lay it back for Clayton but his 20 yard effort sizzled just over.
Soon after, another sweeping move found Clayton again just outside the box and this time his shot was on target but charged down in a crowd.
On 73 minutes Blackpool put on Delfouneso for Cameron.
The game was being frantic and twice Boro balls into the box caused scrambles then on 77 minutes a neat Leadbitter flick into the box set up Kike to backheel goalwards but it was blocked on the line by the keeper.
And a minute later another threaded Leadbitter pass found Kike in the box but as he tricked and turned and looked for angle to shoot a sliding tackle by O'Dea cleared the danger.
And as the pressure mounted Forshaw fired over from 20 yards.
On 80 minutes Boro put on Lee Tomlin for Vossen.
Boro finally made the breakthrough on 81 minutes as they won a corner and when Leadbitter curled it to the near post JONATHAN WOODGATE arrived to power in a header.
But as Boro fans chanted they were top of the league Blackpool levelled on 85 minutes as corner from the left was flicked on at the near post and BEN GIBSON headed into his own net as he attempted to clear.
But determined Boro soon had the fans singing again as they regained the lead on 88 minutes as Tomlin swung in a cross for KIKE to power in a header that came down off the bar and bounced onto the line and in.
There was a nervous last few minutes and six minutes of stoppage time and Blackpool threw some high balls into the box and Madine cut in to fire an angled effort straight at Konstantopolus but Boro stayed calm and held on.
BORO: (352): Konstantopoulos, Kalas, Woodgate, Ayala (Gibson 50), Adomah, Whitehead (Leadbitter 60), Forshaw, Clayton, Reach, Kike. Vossen (Tomlin 80). Subs: Meijas,Ledesma, Omeruo, Bamford.
BLACKPOOL: Lewis, McMahon, Perkins, Clarke (Maher 48), Dunne, Orlandi, O'Hara, Telford, Cameron (Delfouneso 73), O'Dea, Davies (Madine 60). Subs: Parish, Aldred, Rothwell, Waddington.
Ref: Chris Kavanagh (Manchester)
Att: 10,806 (1,738 Boro)
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