MIDDLESBROUGH manager Aitor Karanka believes his Ghanaian winger Albert Adomah is showing signs of being ready for the season after second-half doubles for the Ghanaian winger and his team-mate Kike saw off League One Barnsley.
Middlesbrough were the better side throughout in a game with only one downside: the departure of defender Ben Gibson with an injury midway through the first half.
And despite that one blemish on an otherwise successful night, Karanka insisted he never panicked despite going into half-time locked in a stalemate.
And Karanka will want to see more of that four-goal second half performance, having seen his side play three halves without scoring, including Saturday's goalless draw with Doncaster.
He said: "For strikers it's always important to score goals and especially for Kike, who hadn't scored this pre-season.
"For him, now he's going to be more confident, especially playing against a Spanish team, so for him it's better, and for Albert as well. We need everyone scoring goals because we had problem last season."
Adomah doubled the lead at the second time of asking moments later after his first shot off Kike's cutback was parried away by Tykes keeper Christian Dibble.
The hosts offered their first real threat on 59 minutes when Marley Watkins played in Scowen, but his shot was easily saved low by Tomas Mejias.
Adomah made it 3-0 on 65 minutes with an excellent bottom-corner strike, just moments after Dibble had to save from impressive substitute Adam Reach.
Reach had played the final ball for that Adomah goal and did likewise for Kike on 73 minutes as Boro moved four ahead.
And it could have been three assists had Dibble not pulled off a great stop to deny Adomah a hat-trick.
Getafe's visit to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday is the only game left before Boro get the new Championship season underway against newly promoted Preston on Sunday August 9.