Norwich City felt the full force of Middlesbrough duo's ability on Sunday | OneFootball

The Canaries struggled to cope with Boro's Riley McGree and Ben Doak until their withdrawals at Carrow Road.

Middlesbrough surrendered a 3-1 second half lead to draw 3-3 vs Norwich City on Sunday, on what would turn out to be a frustrating, yet positive-laden afternoon for Michael Carrick's side at Carrow Road.

After falling behind to a wonder strike from Borja Sainz after nine minutes, a Tommy Conway double and a Finn Azaz tap-in would ensure Boro would enter the half-time interval having banked one of their best 45 minutes of football in some time.

The turning point of the game would arrive with 20 minutes to play, as Conway spurned the chance to bag his first Middlesbrough hat-trick and give his side a 4-1 lead from the penalty spot, and Johannes Hoff Thorup's Norwich side would make them pay.

A second scorcher from Sainz and a Seny Dieng own goal would see the Teessiders forfeit what would've been a huge, and deserved three points.

But, in the midst of the frustration, Carrick found irrefutable evidence once again that he's found a recipe for success when a certain duo operates on Boro's flanks...

Norwich couldn't live with Ben Doak & Riley McGree

Perhaps one of the biggest compliments a winger can receive is the audible sighs of relief among those connected with your opposition when you're taken off the pitch. For Ben Doak, that was certainly the case at Carrow Road.

The Liverpool loanee ran the Norwich City defence ragged all afternoon, and played a central role in two of Boro's goals. His mesmerising run from the edge of his own box to deep into Norwich's half for the second goal no doubt gave Middlesbrough fans flashbacks to Adama Traore.

As for the third goal, the teenage sensation displayed his attacking intelligence to stay onside and latch onto the spilled Hayden Hackney shot, before firing an excellent ball back across the six-yard area that was eventually nudged home by Azaz.

McGree, on the other hand, won the second half penalty that Conway ultimately missed, and was a player that the Canaries simply couldn't prevent from getting on the ball and springing multiple Middlesbrough attacks.

So, is the fact that Norwich had scored two goals in the nine minutes after Doak was substituted off a coincidence? Probably not, as sometimes attack can be the best form of defence, and Doak was pushing City back with his driving runs and winning time and momentum-killing free-kicks as a result.

Carrick's side looked considerably weaker after Doak and later McGree left the game, and thus, perhaps gave the Boro head coach considerable food for thought with regard to how he uses his substitutes going forward.

Doak & McGree partnership has provided evidence of a pathway to promotion

Middlesbrough finding success with Doak and McGree on the wings wasn't a new phenomenon at Carrow Road. In fact, they've shown their winning connection on numerous occasions this season.

Indeed, in the four Championship games that Middlesbrough have started with Doak and McGree on the wings, Boro are unbeaten, winning three and drawing one - Norwich.

Up until Sunday, Carrick's side hadn't conceded a single goal in any of those games either, as his side appear to be a far more balanced and well-rounded outfit with those two in the team.

So, despite the frustrating fashion in which his Middlesbrough side gifted away their lead against the Canaries, there were a number of positives to take from the game for Carrick.

None greater and more obvious than the fact that after chopping and changing his wide options through the opening stages of the season with inconsistent results, the Boro boss now looks to have found a duo that is proving to be a recipe for success.

That should fill him, and indeed Middlesbrough supporters, with confidence that this talented team may be about to click, and if it does, Boro could become the force to be reckoned with that, so many had predicted they would be this season.