Carabao Cup: Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Middlesbrough: Boro leave it late to reach third round

Riley McGree (right) gave Middlesbrough the lead against Bolton a minute into second-half stoppage time

Substitute Riley McGree inspired the fightback as Middlesbrough came from behind against Bolton Wanderers to book their place in the Carabao Cup third round.

Michael Carrick's team have had a poor start to the Championship season with just one point from the opening four games.

That misery seemed to be continuing as Dion Charles put the League One side Bolton in front.

Matt Crooks, however, levelled before limping off with an injury, and McGree fired in the second in stoppage time before teeing up fellow sub Morgan Rogers for the third.

Boro were the form team in the second half of last season, moving from the relegation zone to the play-offs, but they are yet to register a league win this season.

Those problems looked like haunting them at the Toughsheet Community Stadium as Charles, who signed a contract extension on Monday, snapped up the rebound when Josh Sheehan's shot was parried by Tom Glover.

Boro hit back before half-time as Paddy McNair released Crooks, and he lifted his shot over keeper Joel Coleman.

Coleman was replaced at the interval by Nathan Baxter, and with the game heading for a penalty shootout, McGree took a hand.

The Australia international fired home from outside the box to edge Boro ahead just as the game entered added time, and then teed up Rogers for a third.

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick told BBC Tees Sport:

"Even if we hadn't got that goal at the end, everyone could see how well the boys had played. It summed up our start of the season in many ways, with things not dropping for us, but we found a way.

"The boys kept going, kept positive, kept believing, and they felt that energy. You could sense it between the players and the supporters at that end.

"The boys that started the game gave everything, some really, really good performances, and the boys that came on finished it. It shows the spirit and togetherness in the group, which, considering results, doesn't always prove to be the case.

"It was a good way to finish, If you do win it late it's a good feeling."

[On Crooks injury] "He tweaked his knee in a tackle, got up from it, and then felt it 20 or 30 seconds later. I'm hopeful it's not too bad but at the minute he's literally getting treatment - he has an ice pack on it."