The Middlesbrough dressing room scene following the Riverside ‘explosion of emotions’.

Kim Hellberg revealed that the Middlesbrough dressing room was filled with an “explosion of emotions” following their extraordinary late victory over Norwich City in a seven-goal Championship thriller at the Riverside Stadium.

The Boro head coach admitted his players had experienced a mixture of pride, exhaustion and relief after Ashley Phillips produced a dramatic stoppage-time winner to settle an entertaining contest that appeared to be slipping away from the home side.

Middlesbrough had endured a difficult opening to the match after conceding inside the first minute, but Hellberg’s team responded impressively. They turned the game around before half-time, establishing a 3-1 advantage against a Norwich side that has established itself among the stronger teams in the division.

Seb Berhalter was at the heart of the comeback, scoring twice, while Brighton loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry continued to make an excellent impression by finding the net for the first time since joining Boro.

With a two-goal cushion at the interval, Middlesbrough looked well placed to claim another important home victory. However, Norwich refused to surrender and produced a rapid second-half response that completely changed the atmosphere inside the stadium.

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg (Image: Tom Banks)

The Canaries scored twice in quick succession to bring the contest level at 3-3. They then pushed forward in search of a winner, putting pressure on the home defence and threatening to turn an exciting game into a frustrating result for Hellberg’s side.

Instead, Middlesbrough delivered the decisive moment.

Substitute Ashley Phillips stepped forward in stoppage time to score the winning goal, sending the Riverside into celebration and securing three valuable points for Boro.

For Hellberg, the reaction that followed was a reflection of the effort his players had put into the match, particularly after spending so much time away from home.

“There was an explosion of emotions after so long on the road,” Hellberg said.

The Middlesbrough boss was referring to the demanding run of fixtures his team had experienced. Norwich’s visit to the Riverside came after Boro had played three consecutive matches away from home, making the late victory even more satisfying.

Hellberg explained that the players had given everything during the match and continued that emotional release during the celebrations.

He said the dressing room was occupied by players who were extremely proud of their achievement but also physically drained by the demanding contest.

Hellberg admitted that he felt the same way himself.

The head coach believes the togetherness within his squad was one of the biggest reasons Middlesbrough managed to overcome the adversity they encountered during the second half.

He highlighted the players’ willingness to fight for one another and provide support when circumstances became difficult.

According to Hellberg, that mentality ultimately carried Boro over the line in a match they could arguably have won more comfortably after establishing a 3-1 lead.

He acknowledged that there were aspects of the performance that Middlesbrough would need to examine, particularly the manner in which Norwich were allowed back into the game.

However, he was equally keen to focus on the positives that could be taken from such a dramatic victory.

Hellberg praises an entertaining Championship contest

When asked to assess the game as a whole, Hellberg suggested that even a neutral supporter would have enjoyed what unfolded at the Riverside.

He described it as a brilliant football match involving two teams that were committed to playing to their strengths rather than sitting back.

Both Middlesbrough and Norwich attempted to be aggressive, press high and play through pressure, producing an open contest packed with attacking moments and quality.

Hellberg said that this type of football is exactly what he enjoys seeing, with both sides prepared to attack one another and trust their own abilities.

Although the scoreline suggested an extremely close encounter, Hellberg believed Middlesbrough had been the better team across the full 90 minutes.

He felt that was evident despite Norwich presenting a significant challenge.

The Boro boss also praised Norwich, pointing to their quality and consistency under Philippe Clement. He believes the Canaries remain one of the five or six strongest sides in the Championship and therefore viewed Middlesbrough’s victory as an especially encouraging result.

For Hellberg, the biggest satisfaction came from seeing his players maintain their character when the match stopped going according to plan.

The two-goal advantage had disappeared, Norwich had momentum and the visitors were searching for a winning goal. Yet Middlesbrough refused to collapse.

Instead, they found another response in the closing moments.

Phillips’ late strike provided the perfect ending to an extraordinary afternoon and demonstrated the resilience Hellberg has been demanding from his squad.

The victory also marked the second occasion in only three home matches that Middlesbrough have scored a late goal to claim victory.

That has created an entertaining pattern for Boro supporters, although Hellberg certainly does not want his team making life quite so difficult every week.

When asked whether supporters should expect similar late drama on a regular basis, the Middlesbrough head coach gave a simple response: “Please, no!”

For Hellberg, the result was undoubtedly worth celebrating, but the manner in which Middlesbrough allowed Norwich to recover from 3-1 down will provide plenty for the coaching staff to analyse.

Nevertheless, the character shown by the players, the unity within the squad and the ability to find a winning goal deep into stoppage time all represent significant positives.

After three consecutive away fixtures, the emotional scenes at the Riverside and inside the dressing room offered Middlesbrough a memorable reward.

The players had left everything on the pitch, and their celebrations showed exactly how much the victory meant to them. Hellberg now has the task of making sure the team learns from the mistakes while preserving the fighting spirit that ultimately secured another dramatic three points.