Middlesbrough took the risk of sending their keeper up to win the game at the death – and suffered, says Kit Symons.

The Fulham boss saw his side sign off at Craven Cottage with a ‘rollercoaster’ of a win, but at 3-3 and seconds left it looked as if both sides would have to settle for a point.

Dimi Konstantopoulos was caught stranded, and Ross McCormack deservedly seized the chance to run the length of the pitch and collect a hat-trick along with the match ball for the 4-3 win.

Fulham's Ross McCormack scores their second goal from the penalty spot

“The game is about taking risks,” Symons added. “The way it had gone for them – 3-1 down, a man light – they took big risks and it got them back into the game so they maybe thought lady luck was smiling on them today. They’re an excellent side with a very good manager.

“Ross could have gone early [with the shot]. I’m sure that temptation was there and I’m sure he thought about it but in the end he made the right decision and I was delighted to see that one roll over the line into the back of the net.”

He earlier netted twice from the spot, placing the ball in a different corner each time, and Symons was in no doubt the top scorer with 19 to his credit, would do the business from 12 yards.

“That’s a pressure situation but that’s something that Ross thrives on,” the manager said. “He loves those situations and he was probably the calmest man in the Cottage.”

Middlesbrough's Patrick Bamford in action with Fulham's Tim Hoogland

“It was a proper rollercoaster of a game. I thought we actually played very well, it was a good performance and I was very keen to make sure we gave that to the fans.

“Although that makes us five unbeaten, recent games – especially here – haven’t been particularly pretty. They’ve been scrappy and a bit ugly and we’ve had to play a different way and I’ve had to sort of forgo some of my footballing principles to make sure we got the results that we needed.

“Today the pressure was off us and as much as the spectre of relegation was no longer around, I wanted a really good performance from the players, as well as getting a result.

“Any time these players pull on a Fulham shirt I’m expecting 100 per cent, and that’s exactly what they’ll give.

"The Championship season deserves a real stand-up finish because it has been fantastic all the way through and I’m sure there’s going to be twists and turns next week as well.”