Any initial pressure Argyle may have had – and there was a cross which whistled across the face of Dieng’s goal – was soon forgotten as the visitors began to wrestle control.

Matt Crooks fired a warning shot on 20 minutes and although that went well wide, Boro were soon ahead.

Lukas Engel powered in a cross from the left and Josh Coburn finished at the near post, under pressure from Lewis Gibson, rushing back to defend his line after blocking a 23rd minute shot.

Michael Cooper made two important saves as Boro pressed for another goal.

The Argyle number one palmed over Isiah Jones’ rising 27th minute drive from the right hand side of the box but saved his best to deny Crooks, who perfectly connected with Jonny Howson’s corner to drill a side foot volley towards goal, only to be denied by Cooper’s reaction save on the goal-line.

Argyle responded in style with two goals before half time, courtesy of the Azaz and Mumba combination again.

Azaz threaded a ball through the Boro back line and into the box for Mumba and this time the attacking midfielder made no mistake in beating Dieng with a measured side foot finish on 34 minutes.

Mumba, with a deft back heel, returned the favour four minutes later on the left hand side of the Boro box.

Azaz – on loan from Aston Villa – wrong footed marker Rav Van Den Berg, made space and curled a beautiful right foot shot from fully 20 yards into the opposite top corner just out of the reach of a diving Dieng.

Sam Greenwood sent a 20 yard free kick just over Cooper’s bar in the 49th minute as Boro sought a way back into the game.

Cooper was quickly called into action minutes later, saving well, low down, with his feet to keep out an angled drive from Greenwood after he was put in on goal by Jones’ superb pass.

Greenwood won a penalty, drawing a foul from Argyle defender Dan Scarr, just before the hour.

Coburn’s spot kick was brilliantly saved by Cooper, diving to his left, but the Boro striker and Argyle summer transfer target followed up to tap-in and level the scores on the hour.

Buoyed by their leveller, Boro surged ahead again in the 64^th minute with a brilliant flowing move down the right.

Jones’ pass found Crooks, whose angled cut back from the bye line was first timed home by impressive Greenwood at the near post.

Again Argyle responded, now in torrential rain.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden was fouled on the right hand side, and Morgan Whittaker’s kick from 25 yards out skimmed all the way in, through a crowded box and curling past outstretched Dieng and just inside the far post.

There was still time for Argyle skipper for the day Jordan Houghton to nearly win the match in stoppage time, with a stinging goal-bound drive, superbly saved by Dieng.

For either side to have won would have been a travesty.

Most exiting game have seen at the Park this season - and the massed red bank of Boro fans played their part in making it a match to remember.


SWSN Star Finn Azaz