TRIPS to Preston haven't been particularly pleasant for Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough boss.

His very first game in charge of Boro started with a walk to Deepdale after the team bus parked halfway down the street and ended with the home side scoring a stoppage time winner.

And last season's trip wasn't enjoyable either, another 2-1 defeat at a time when Carrick's Boro were in something of a mini slump.

But how timely a boost it would be if Carrick can record his first Deepdale win today as Boro look to build some much-needed momentum on the back of their midweek West Brom success.

"My first memory is the coach driver parking the bus half-way down the street and we had to get out and walk," laughed Carrick as he set about reflecting on the 27 months since that first Preston trip as Boro prepare to return to Deepdale.

"There's been a lot of ups and downs and great moments that we've shared.

"We’ve learned along the way and I think we’ve all improved. There have been bumps in the road, but I think we’ve largely improved.

"We find ourselves in a really good position at this stage of the season to hopefully make something even more special become a reality.”

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There will almost certainly be only two players in the starting XI this afternoon who were in Carrick's side for his very first game in charge: Dael Fry and Hayden Hackney.

Over the course of the last two years, Hackney has progressed from being a largely untried novice in the first team midfield to the captain of his hometown club.

“He’s definitely grown a lot in that time, and developed," said Carrick.

"He’s had a mix of experiences really. His first season went fantastically well and he played pretty much every game. He then picked up a lot of injuries in his second season last term, and he was a bit frustrated with that.

"This season, he’s come on strong. He’s had a little issue with an injury that he shrugged off pretty quickly, and he’s back to playing well again. You can see that with what he brings to the team."

Hackney hadn't featured in the plans of former boss Chris Wilder but was given his opportunity by the interim management team before Carrick's arrival, and the current head coach instantly loved what he saw from the Teessider.

He said: “Since I first got eyes on him really, he’s always had that inner belief. He’s not someone who will shout and scream about it, not flash or in-your-face. That’s something I really like.

"His confidence you see in how he plays the game, the way he takes the ball everywhere and the way in which he tries to influence the game. That all takes a level of confidence and belief in yourself. So he’s always had that.

"But, of course, the more you play and the bigger the influence you have on the team, the more success you have, that belief goes up a level. But I think he’s always had that in him. We want him to continue building on that."

It was Hackney's stunning goal that set Boro on their way to their midweek win over West Brom, a moment of delight for the midfielder after the frustration of missing a good chance at Portsmouth and hitting the post in the recent win at Hull.

Asked whether adding more goals to his game is the next step for Hackney, Carrick said: “Yes and no, really. I think it’s more just getting yourself in the right positions. We would ask the players not to have that kind of thing on their mind too much because you can end up making rash decisions.

"It’s more about the right processes really and making sure you put yourself in the right positions. Goals win games, so without doubt, the more we can all score, the better. But I think it’s that mindset and getting the balance right to not chase things too much and put yourself in positions where you take chances on where it’s quite a low percentage that you score.

"There are other times where you have to take it and H has proved with the types of goals he’s scored that he is capable of doing it. To get more of them, you need to get yourself in right positions to give you an even better opportunity to score more."