Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick said that it was worth the wait as his side snatched an injury-time winner against bottom side Plymouth Argyle.
Boro looked set to drop two points further adrift in their quest to make the play-offs until Tommy Conway's 93rd-minute penalty kick.
Conway's 13th goal of the season was only the second time this campaign that the Teessiders have won a league game in injury time.
And it means they remain three points behind sixth-placed Coventry City with three games to go. They include a trip to the Sky Blues in the final game of the season on 3 May.