6 Glover: An easy night for the keeper thanks to the excellence of those in front.

6 Dijksteel: Couple of nervous moments early on as Port Vale threatened down the flanks but settled and grew into it.

9 Fry: Immense. Cleared and headed everything. Won the crucial physical battles.

9 Clarke: Like Fry, rose to the physical challenge. Was booked after just three minutes but didn’t put a foot wrong after that. His best performance in a Boro shirt.

7 Engel: Port Vale’s threat in the first half came down the flanks, but Engel, like Dijksteel, got better as the game went on. Good going forward.

9 Howson: Class night for the captain. His goal set Boro on their way and Howson now has a first career semi-final to look forward to. Absolutely bossed the game alongside Barlaser.

8 Barlaser: Alongside Howson, helped to drain the life out of Port Vale. Controlled the game.

7 Silvera: Built on his Swansea cameo. His interception and awareness and vision made second goal.

7 Crooks: Clinical finish early in the second half wrapped it up. It all appeared to come easy for Crooks after that. Linked up play well in the first half.

8 Rogers: Clever movement and close control baffled Port Vale. Fine finish for the goal. Second half injury a worry.

7 Latte Lath: A threat on the shoulder of the Port Vale defence in the first half. His movement and pace caused problems but decision making let him down. Replaced at half-time after he needed treatment in first half.

Substitutes:

7 I.Jones (for Latte-Lath, 46): He was only introduced at half-time but Port Vale will have been glad to see his number raised 25 minutes or so later. Cameo full of surging runs. 

7 Kavanagh (for Jones, 72): Bright from the bench. Had good chance to score.

Bangura (for Crooks, 77): N/A

McCabe (for Rogers, 83) N/A

Subs not used: J.Jones, Gilbert, Coulson, Nkrumah, Bilongo

Port Vale: Ripley 6, Debrah 6, Lowe 5 (Sang, 77, Balmer 5 (Iacovitti, 46) Grant 6; Ojo 6 (Loft, 46), Arblaster 6 (Walters, 59); Massey 6 (Ikpeazu, 77), Garrity 6, Devine 6, Chislett 6

Subs not used: Leutwiler, Smith, Dipepa, Lomax

Man of the Match: Jonny Howson. A first semi-final will be another chapter in Howson’s fine career. He was superb at Vale Park. Early goal took the sting out of the home side and he then dominated.