EMPHATIC and exciting.

A week that started with Middlesbrough’s slim play-off hopes disappearing ended with a thumping statement victory that will carry Michael Carrick’s side into the summer and next season with encouragement and real belief.

The nine-game unbeaten streak was ended by Leeds United but Boro quickly dusted themselves down and got back to winning ways in hugely impressive fashion, taking apart a Cardiff City side that came into this game just a point and two places behind them in the table.

It was pretty much a perfect day for Carrick and his players. They were denied a clean sheet in stoppage time but thumped in four goals at the other end, scored by four different scorers – including Boro firsts for Matt Clarke and Alex Gilbert, which capped an impressive first Championship start for the former Brentford man.

Clarke set Boro on their way in the last minute of the first half before the visitors ran riot and took Cardiff apart in a clinical 11 minute spell after the restart.

Finn Azaz scored the second, as well as creating two of the other three, lethal Emmanuel Latte Lath bagged his 10th goal in 11 games and Gilbert wrapped up the scoring on the hour mark.

Seny Dieng deserves credit as well. Boro’s keeper made two superb and crucial saves, the first early in the afternoon and the second immediately after the restart before Boro landed the knock-out blows. He was beaten in stoppage time when Josh Bowler scored a consolation but the points had long been in the bag.

Such was Boro’s second half comfort, Carrick was able to turn to his young bench: Law McCabe, Charlie Lennon and Ajay Matthews all introduced.

With delight also comes a sense of what-if. Had the season stretched by two or three more weeks, Boro would have stood every chance of breaking into the top six. But nothing is gained by thinking about what might have been. It’s all eyes on next season and on the evidence of this display and recent weeks, there’s plenty to be excited about.

It was a miserable afternoon for Cardiff but they would have got off to the perfect start against Boro had it not been for the footwork and fingertips of Dieng. Boro’s keeper looked to have been caught out when David Turnbull pounced on Jonny Howson’s slip and tried an audacious and instinctive first-time lob from 30 yards but Dieng backtracked brilliantly and managed to divert the ball over the line.

He was beaten seconds later from the resulting corner but thankfully for Boro Dimitrios Goutas’ header bounced into the turf and up and over the bar.

Boro looked set to take full advantage when Finn Azaz’s shot deflected into the path of Emmanuel Latte Lath inside the box. The league’s most in-form striker looked certain to score but was denied by Ethan Horvath, who scrambled out to the feet of the frontman and made himself big.

It was an entertaining start but the early chances and signs were a misleading indication of what was to come. The early tempo dropped and there was very much an end of season feel to much of the first half.

Boro, though, always looked the more composed and likely. Isaiah Jones curled just over and Luke Thomas stung the hands of Horvath before Clarke broke the deadlock in the last minute of the first half, turning in Azaz’s free-kick at the far post.

The goal sparked the game into life and after the second half started with a stunning Dieng save – as the first had done - Boro clinically took Cardiff apart and wrapped up the points.

Goulas thought he’d levelled for the Bluebirds immediately after the restart when his header looked destined for the corner but a full stretch Dieng managed to tip the ball on to the post and Cian Ashford blazed the rebound over from close range.

Any Cardiff encouragement quickly disappeared and the home fans were soon flooding out after three Boro goals in 11 minutes.

Dan Barlaser teed up Gilbert inside the box, who wriggled around two defenders before the ball ricocheted into the path of Azaz and the man who created the first scored the second, calmly lifting over Horvath.

Azaz then made the third, spotting the run of Latte Lath and picking out the striker over the top. There was still plenty of work to be done but Latte Lath never looked like missing, driving into the box before blasting a lethal finish high into Horvath’s net.

Boro weren’t done and four minutes later had their fourth. The advanced Ayling cut back to Gilbert, who calmly and clinically found the top corner. Boro will be frustrated to have conceded a last minute goal to Bowler but it was still a hugely impressive victory.