Boro's young guns could take a big step towards the title if they can claim all three points at The Hawthorns on Monday evening.
Paul Jenkins’ side are currently two points clear at the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Second Division summit.
In a busy week of Under-21 action, Boro’s youngsters first travel to title rivals West Brom - with the Baggies looking to bounce above the Teessiders with a win.
Monday’s showdown in the West Midlands is then quickly followed by Friday’s home match against Reading at Victoria Park (kick-off 1pm).
Six points would put Boro’s title destiny firmly in their own hands, ahead of tricky matches against Newcastle and Arsenal next month.
After consecutive 1-0 league wins, development coach Graeme Lee believes Boro’s rising stars are receiving the perfect education to prepare them for the step up to first-team football.
“You’ve got to earn the right to play football and win the game,” Lee told the club’s website.
“Every game you’ve got to be out there battling and scrapping for every inch you can get and that’s what it’s about.
“From coming in at the start of the season we’ve turned it into a winning mentality with the lads. We want them to make the next step as men and first team football and they’ve got to be ready for that.
“We don’t just want lads who are passing the ball around with no pressure then all of a sudden they’re thrown in to the first team and aren’t used to the tempo.
“We’ve got them playing at that tempo and I think that’s part of the success we’ve had this season that the lads are lifting and responding to that.”
West Brom are currently three points behind Boro, but are themselves in fine form and enjoying an eight-game unbeaten run stretching back to November.
Boro could have first-team trio James Husband, Mustapha Carayol and Yanic Wildschut available after they were all left out of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
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