Boro's young guns notched a third successive win to boost their Barclays Under-21 Premier League Second Division title hopes.
Ryan Brobbel's second-half header was enough to earn Paul Jenkins' side a narrow 1-0 victory and all three points against Blackburn at Leigh Sports Village.
After scoring 13 goals in their previous two matches against Marske United and Blackpool, Boro fielded another attacking line-up including Mark Kitching, Ryan Brobbel and Bradley Fewster.
Winger Tom McAloon was also handed a first league appearance since October, after recovering from ankle ligament damage, while Joao Morelli - a new recruit from Juninho's Brazilian side Ituano - was named on the bench.
But there was no place for Mustapha Carayol, with Aitor Karanka confirming he will be in the first-team squad for Tuesday's match with Bolton at the Riverside.
With the wind swirling around the Leigh Sports Village stadium, it was a cagey opening 15 minutes with Kitching coming closest, testing Rovers keeper Ryan Crump from 20 yards out.
And it was Kitching at the heart of Boro's attacking play moments later, receiving the ball on halfway and driving towards the Blackburn defence before but firing wide.
Boro should have taken the lead just before the hour mark when Lewis Maloney was teed up at the edge of the box, but his low drive was held by Crump at the second attempt.
The chances continued to come for the in-form visitors, with Maloney's cute free-kick finding captain Jonny Burn completely unmarked at the back post, but his effort was pushed around the post.
From the resulting corner Maloney found McAloon at the back post, but it was Crump again who continued to thwart Boro in the Rovers goal.Boro's dominance continued in the second half and the Teessiders got their reward in the 52nd minute.
The lively McAloon cut in from the right flank and delivered a sweeping ball towards the back post, where Brobbel was lurking to head the ball into the far corner.
But Boro failed to kick on and allowed Blackburn come back into the game, but although Rovers forced a couple of corners, Ripley remained a spectator between the posts.
Jenkins was forced into a change shortly after the hour mark when James Husband suffered a blow to his ankle, with Robbie Tinkler replacing the attacking full-back.
Moments later Bryn Morris tumbled in the box but the referee played on, and on the break Rovers substitute Lewis Mansell hit an audacious 40-yard strike well over the bar.
As the game opened up, Boro threatened for a second as Kitching again tested Crump, before Harrison Chapman replaced Fewster following a string of eyecatching displays for the Under-18s.
The hosts continued to continued to probe but Boro's central defensive pairing of Burn and Dael Fry held firm, while at the other end Brobbel almost caught Crump out.
And Boro survived the final few minutes to notch a third straight win in all competitions, a result that takes them joint top of the league with West Brom.
Boro: Ripley, Bennett, Fry, Burn (c), Husband (Tinkler 62), Morris, Maloney, Brobbel, Kitching, McAloon, Fewster (Chapman 73). Subs not used: Fryer, Jackson, Morelli
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