CRAIG Hignett pauses for the briefest of moments as he turns back the clock 26 years in his mind but he doesn't need much prompting.

"That was the Steve Baker game, wasn't it," says the popular former Boro midfielder.

A couple of days later, Hignett's instinctive response is put to Baker himself.

"That makes me proud," he says.

"It was a proud moment, it was definitely the highlight of my career."

If you're a Boro fan of a certain age, you'll have almost certainly already realised the game - and cup tie - in question. 1998, Liverpool and a League Cup semi-final played out over two enthralling legs.

Roy Evans' side were on their way to a third-place finish in the Premier League and obviously much fancied to advance to the League Cup final. But over the course of 180 minutes and a second leg - 26 years ago today - that is still talked about on Teesside and remains right up there with the greatest of nights at the Riverside, Liverpool were stunned by Bryan Robson's Boro, who were, at the time, in the second tier.

As for Baker, well he was a teenager at the time and largely untested in the first team but after Gianluca Festa was struck down with a kidney infection, the youngster was tasked with a key role in the first leg at Anfield. The instruction was simple: "Don't let Steve McManaman out of your sight."

"That game was one of the few games where Robbo actually talked to us about tactics," laughs Hignett.

Baker was immense and McManaman was rattled, the winger - who would join Real Madrid a year later - at one stage letting his frustrations at his close company show as he offered the Boro defender his shirt.

"I'd only made a couple of appearances beforehand. I think I was 18 turning 19, to even be involved in such a massive game, to be in the squad and travel and be in and around such a big game, I was just proud to be there," said Baker.

"I was immensely proud but I felt ready and I think Bryan Robson knew that. He must have had the belief in me.

"I remember beforehand on the training ground, Robson pulled me and told me the plan, so I spent most of that training session chasing Andy Campbell to get used to following one person.

"I'd done no preparation whatsoever on McManaman specifically, I just turned up and tried to do a job on him. I was an out and out defender, that's all I knew.

"He shook my hand in the tunnel after the first game at Anfield and said well played and tapped me on the back of my head. I think a couple of their players did as well."

At that stage it was advantage Liverpool but Boro had very much succeeded in staying in the tie. They led at Anfield through Paul Merson but Liverpool hit back through Jamie Redknapp before Robbie Fowler scored a late winner.

Robson's side had hope ahead of the return leg, which turned out to be one of the greatest Riverside nights.

Steve Vickers had missed the first leg through injury but was back in the Boro defence for the second clash between the sides.

"I've never ever played in another atmosphere like it was at the Riverside that night," says the former centre-half.

"It was a magnificent night. The noise was just phenomenal."

"It was electric," adds Hignett.

"The place was packed. It always was back then. You could feel the excitement, even in the warm-up. We didn't half start well. When the crowd is like that at the Riverside it does give you a massive lift and if there's one night that proves it it's that night."

If Baker was Boro's secret weapon in the first leg, in the second it was new signing Marco Branco. The Italian star had joined from Inter and while his pedigree was clear, nobody could quite have expected such a remarkable debut, with a brace inside four minutes turning the tie on its head.

"Great lad, Marco," says Hignett of the striker who would only play 12 games for Boro before injury cruelly cut short his career.

"What a brilliant signing he was for us in that short space of time. As well as that, it gave us a lift, when you get someone of his stature coming in. We'd had the superstars, don't get me wrong, but to get Marco Branca was just unbelievable. To see him make his debut and score near enough straight away, he got in and put it through David James' legs.

"He was top drawer. He was a really top professional. I have top, top, memories of Marco Branca, he was a brilliant man."

Liverpool were stunned but Boro knew a momentary lapse in concentration would be costly. Up-front for the visitors were Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen.

"Fowler was a class player, difficult to mark and he made difficult runs," says Vickers.

"He never panicked and he'd never smash it, he'd always place a ball. He was quality. To play against him and Michael Owen at the time was a great test but one we stood up to."

With Boro needing to attack rather than contain Liverpool at the start of the second leg, Robson opted against a McManaman man marking repeat and Baker was on the bench - but replaced Hignett for the final quarter of an hour as the hosts, roared on by the Riverside crowd, held on to book a third Wembley cup final date in the space of two seasons.

"In my opinion, that night is the best the atmosphere has ever been at the Riverside," says Baker, looking back.

"It was just such a special night, it was a carnival, the players felt it. Them fans that night got that performance from the players. Middlesbrough fans are great anyway but that night they were extra special."

Hignett says: "It's one of them games where after it you think 'wow, I can't believe we've done that'.

"Back then we could beat anyone, regardless of what division we were in. We had some fabulous results.

"Over the two legs, to beat them, and deserve it, was special. It was one of the best nights of my life and one of the games I remember most when people talk to me about my career. They ask me to recount certain games and that's one of them.

"It was a mad time to be a Boro fan but to be a player was even madder! When you're a kid there are certain things you want to do - playing in cup finals is one of them. I was lucky enough to do all of it at Boro and it was amazing."