'A very good night': What Michael Carrick made of Middlesbrough's comfortable win against Blackpool

The Teesside outfit dominated the game from start to finish and on another night would have won the game by an even more comfortable scoreline.

It was still a stroll for the visitors, who were very rarely, if ever, troubled by Michael Appleton’s depleted Blackpool side, while Isaiah Jones, Marcus Forss and Chuba Akpom were on the scoresheet.

The win sees Boro leapfrog the Seasiders in the league table and move up to 16th place, having previously been hovering nervously above the bottom three.

"It feels good", Carrick said after the game.

"I'm delighted for the players, for their effort and how much we've improved game to game, especially on the back of Saturday (1-1 draw at home to Bristol City) and not getting what we felt we deserved.

"Goals, a clean sheet, we defended well, played some really good football.

"We got everyone involved off the bench and gave Pharrell (Willis) his first appearance, so all in all a very good night. I thought we went from strength to strength in the second-half.

"There was one free-kick at the end and I'd have been kicking ourselves if we conceded. I was desperate for that clean sheet for the way the lads defended.

"We wanted the clean sheet and want to build on the defensive foundations. I was just as happy with the clean sheet as the goals scored.

"But it was a good night for us, so many positives."