Middlesbrough stretched their legs during the World Cup break with a 2-0 friendly win at Hibernian.

Here are some of the talkins points to emerge from the win at Easter Road:

Players who impressed

To dish out individual ratings is difficult and feels unfair in a friendly where the majority of those involved don't play any more than 45 minutes.

For some players, it's all about minutes; for the youngsters it's about the experience, not just of the game but of the trip, the build-up, the dressing room.

The first half was low-key and shy of penalty box action, but there were still positives. In his return to action Duncan Watmore looked as lively as ever and Carrick was pleased with how the forward fit into the system, playing off the left and drifting inside to support Rodrigo Muniz. Matt Crooks got a crucial 45 minutes under his belt as well, again used in a more advanced forward role rather than as a midfielder.

Alongside Jonny Howson, Caolan Boyd-Munce looked very composed, neat and tidy.

Boro's class told in the second half but before their quickfire double, they had Liam Roberts to thank for denying Hibs, who made a bright start after the break. The keeper, introduced at half-time, made three good saves, another reminder of his quality.

In front of him, Paddy McNair was the only player to complete the full 90 minutes, coasting through with real composure. Ryan Giles, meanwhile, yet again outlined his Boro importance with two assists.

In truth, there were no bad Boro performances, and Carrick was delighted to give opportunities to so many youngsters. A lot of thought went into how the group was split over the two halves to ensure there was a nice blend of experienced and Academy players. The youngsters involved all took it in their stride and looked comfortable. The future's bright.

Akpom repeat

When Chuba Akpom received the ball with his back to goal inside the Hibs half and surrounded by men in green, there looked to be no danger for the hosts.

Nine touches later, the ball was in the net.

From Akpom, strength and a swivel. He carried the ball into the Hibs half, picked out Giles on the left and, well, you know the rest. This time it was Sonny Finch who turned home, doubling Boro's lead after Akpom had broken the deadlock.

It's the third game in a row Akpom has shown immense awareness, strength and vision to create a goal from nothing. At Blackpool, the striker's superb play paved the way for the opener and at Norwich for the winner.

As Carrick has pointed out on a few occasions, Akpom's excellence in recent weeks has been about far more than just goals. They always help, mind. And adding another at Easter Road will only further boost his already sky high confidence.

Carrick's request

Towards the end of his post-match interviews, Carrick had a request. He wanted to make it clear that the fans who'd travelled knew how much their efforts were appreciated by the head coach and the squad.

It wasn't lost on Boro's staff and players that so many fans had headed north for a friendly four weeks before Christmas and on a weekend where travels plans were disrupted by rail strikes.

"I hope they’ve had a really nice weekend and I want them to know we really appreciate their support," said the Boro head coach.

Since his appointment, Carrick has taken every opportunity to praise and thank Boro's fans for their terrific support. This was Carrick's sixth game in charge and his fifth away from the Riverside and in every one of those games Boro's backing has been hailed by the boss.

Johnson's frustration

While Carrick headed back to Teesside on Saturday night "really pleased" with how the game turned out, his opposite number Lee Johnson wasn't quite so happy.

Johnson described the fixture as a "learning game", was satisfied with plenty of what he saw and, like Carrick, was glad for the opportunity to give plenty of players minutes.

But he was frustrated to say the least about the manner of the goals conceded in the second half.

The former Sunderland boss said afterwards: "To be honest I tore into the second half team, not because they didn't try or play well but because the two goals are really poor from a defensive protocol sense. They're easy goals."

What angered Johnson, he said, was that Hibs have been working on defending crosses all week, only to then concede goals to two delivered from the left.

"That leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but this was a game for learning," he said.

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