WELL that’s what happens when you have a frontline packed with game-changers.

That’s now QPR, Luton and Oxford United who can vouch for the fact Boro’s attack has very much clicked into gear.

Three goals in eight first half minutes saw Oxford go from being ahead to being demoralised. A fourth soon followed after the break. And goals number five and six came late on. Three were scored by Emmanuel Latte Lath and while the Ivorian now looks very much like the devastating force he was at the end of last season, this success wasn’t purely the story of the striker.

Finn Azaz scored two of Boro’s other goals and created two of Latte Lath’s, taking his personal tally to four goals and five assists in his last six games. Is there an attacking player in the Championship in better form right now? Well it wouldn’t be hard to make a case for Ben Doak and the Liverpool winger was predictably involved again, scorching away down the right to win a penalty, giving Latte Lath the chance to cancel out Greg Leigh’s opener. How Boro kicked on.

And how fortunate Carrick is to be able to call on substitutes like Marcus Forss, Riley McGree and Tommy Conway. McGree set up Conway for Boro’s fifth after Oxford substitute Dane Scarlett had temporary reduced the deficit. Azaz then capped an outstanding personal and team display with his second.

This was a statement Boro victory, all the more so considering they were without their first choice midfield pairing in Hayden Hackney and Aidan Morris and goalkeeper Seny Dieng, who spent his 30th birthday on his sickbed.

That meant a full Championship debut for Sol Brynn, who took no chances when beating away an early strike from Oxford’s Cameron Brannagan that darted off the soaking surface.

Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming twice denied Latte Lath early on, the first save routine, the second superb, turning the striker’s close-range prod around the post after a rapid Boro counter led by Delano Burgzorg.

There were early flashes of promise from both Burgzorg and Doak, the latter making Leigh uncomfortable when he scampered at and past him with ease before delivering a low cross that was almost deflected in.

Leigh won’t have been relishing his date with Doak but it was the left-back who popped up in the Boro box to give Oxford the lead, pouncing on a loose ball to lash the hosts ahead after a corner from the left wasn’t dealt with.

But the home side’s joy was relatively short-lived – and predictably it was Doak who inspired Boro’s turnaround. Not for the first time, the winger made something of nothing, scurrying away down the right and only stopped in his tracks after he was wiped out by Elliott Moore.

Oxford’s defender was fortunate not to be sent off and Doak was fortunate not to be injured. Latte Lath made no mistake from the spot. And the striker then turned provider five minutes later, teeing up Azaz who picked his spot with a clever finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Azaz was pulling the strings again and with Oxford reeling the playmaker spotted a gap in the home defence and played in Latte Lath, who was onside, despite the complaints of those in yellow and slotted home.

Boro – and in particular Azaz and Latte Lath – started the second half as they finished the first. Just four minutes after the restart Azaz again found Latte Lath with another pinpoint pass and Latte Lath again found the net with another clinical finish.

Oxford, in fairness, didn’t give up on it, and Scarlett gave the home side hope with his low strike. But Conway restored Boro’s three-goal lead with a fine low drive 10 minutes from time and Azaz then brought the curtain down on his masterclass with Boro’s sixth.