YOU fancied Boro’s chances on Saturday as soon as the team news dropped at 11.30am. Hayden Hackney and Finn Azaz were back. And Boro are back to winning ways.

How crucial both returning players were in the 3-1 win over struggling Hull City; Hackney setting the tempo in the middle of the pitch and Azaz pulling the strings just in front.

It was Hackney’s interception that paved the way for Azaz to open the scoring in superb fashion with his fifth goal in three games before the Scottish show for the second and third goals. Add Hull City to the list of defences tormented by Ben Doak. The Liverpool winger’s delightful lob was headed in by Tommy Conway, his teammate for club and country, and the pair combined again for the striker to wrap up the points 11 minutes from time. Conway now has eight goals in just 14 appearances – only nine of which have been starts – since his summer arrival.

Ryan Giles faced the daunting task of trying to shackle Doak when he was introduced from the bench in the second half. “You should have stayed at the Boro,” sang the home fans. Giles’ fellow substitute and former Sunderland loanee Mason Burstow had given Hull hope 19 minutes from time but any Boro nerves soon disappeared when Conway put the game out of reach of the managerless visitors. It was a deserved victory.

It might have been different had Neto Borges been penalised for what appeared to be a pull of Joao Pedro’s shirt when he was last man with game goalless in the first half. The decision went Boro’s way and Carrick’s side took advantage.

Boro needed a boost after the Blackburn setback and got three of them before kick-off, with Hackney, Azaz and Delano Burgzorg all available to return. Two of them almost combined to give Boro the perfect start, Azaz crossing for Burgzorg, who completely missed the ball when he only had Hull keeper Ivor Pandur to beat.

Riley McGree missed out through injury, while Jonny Howson and Latte Lath dropped to the bench, with Conway leading the line. Carrick also opted to make a couple of unenforced changes at the back, with Anfernee Dijksteel replacing Luke Ayling and Dael Fry coming in for his first start since February in place of Matt Clarke.

There was a scare for the Boro defence when Pedro looked to latch on to a through ball and tussled with Borges. Hull were adamant Pedro was fouled – which would have almost certainly meant a red card for Borges – but the claims were waved away by Stephen Martin.

And Hull’s anger and frustration deepened moments later when Azaz opened the scoring, curling in beautifully with his left foot after Hackney’s interception.

Azaz was involved in the move that Boro felt should have led to a penalty just after the half hour mark. The goalscorer set Ben Doak away, who was adamant his attempted cut-back for Conway hit the arm of the sliding Xavier Simons. Martin wasn’t having it.

Azaz wanted more. There was only one thing on his mind when he collected the ball on the edge of the box, twisting this way and that before his shot was charged down. Hull’s defence looked uncomfortable and they didn’t make it to the break. This time it was Doak working his magic, picking up the loose ball after a good interception from the advanced Dijksteel and lifting a delightful lob the way of Conway, whose headed finish was equally as impressive.

Hull quite simply couldn’t cope with Doak, who almost forced Lewie Coyle into an own-goal early in the second half and then saw a shot deflected just wide. Giles was introduced in place of Drameh after a clash of heads with George Edmundson.

Hull had brief hope after Burstow’s close-range finish but the points were secured when Doak and Conway again combined.