The draw at Mansfield may have only been a friendly but there were a couple of eye-catching displays.

So we’ve shaken off the ring rust and given the old 3-2-1 star system a pre-season run-out and picked out the trio that stood out as Boro came from behind to draw 2-2.


A fine Finnish capped a superb performance from this hot prospect from a cold country.

Middlesbrough's Mikael Soisalo beats Mansfield Town's Mal Benning to score the first goal

The flanker - signed in January - looked lively down the right wing and was a constant threat to a well organised Stags defence.

Intelligent movement into pockets of space down that channel and his deft touches to link-up with team-mates made for a fluid, attacking presence in that key area and his darting runs behind the defence and into the box were always exciting.

His goal, within 60 seconds of Boro falling two behind, showed great anticipation with a burst of pace taking him into the danger-zone and his rifled shot was a cracker. He showed plenty of promise, was physically strong and looked comfortable in the senior set-up.


The strapping stopper was an imposing presence in both boxes.

The Teessider is a no-nonsense solid stopper and after a shaky start grew into the game to marshal the defence.

Dael Fry celebrates his goal at Mansfield

But at the other end his aerial threat was one of Boro’s most potent weapons too. He not only nodded home the leveller from a pinpoint Gaston Ramirez free-kick but he had already had a better, more powerful header hooked off the line and looked favourite to win every dead-ball into the box. He will certainly have given Garry Monk food for thought.


The Scouse schemer was a blur of perpetual motion as he buzzed about on the left of midfield.

Boro midfielder Adam Forshaw on the ball at Mansfield

Forshaw weaved in and out, recycling the ball quickly and smoothly inside the Mansfield half and was key to the spells when Boro upped the tempo.

He was dropped into a left-back role after some late substitutions and looked at ease there too.