Middlesbrough's bid to make an immediate return to the Premier League belatedly began at Swansea's Liberty Stadium as Gareth Southgate's men came away with an impressive 3-0 win.

Having being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Sheffield United in their opening fixture last weekend, Boro showed their promotion credentials against the Swans who are struggling to adapt to life after Roberto Martinez.

Adam Johnson, Marvin Emnes and Tuncay grabbed the goals for the north-east outfit, earning them a first league win over their opponents since 1983.

Middlesbrough, making their first visit to Swansea since an FA Cup defeat in January 1995, started the better of the two sides and could have been ahead as early as the sixth minute when David Wheater thumped a header against the post.

The highly-rated defender got on the end of Johnson's corner to get the effort in and, after it came back into play, Robert Huth saw his drive well blocked by Ashley Williams.

Scottish striker Stephen Dobbie's weak effort from just inside the area got Swansea going in attack, before he warmed Danny Coyne's palms with a low drive moments later.

The former Queen of the South man remained his side's best outlet and saw another strike loop into Coyne's hands, while at the other end Mark Yeates drilled an effort just wide.

Boro were certainly the more composed of the two sides in the early exchanges and they deservedly went ahead with 32 minutes gone, although there was a hint of fortune about Johnson's opener.

There seemed to be little danger when the winger collected the ball on the left yet his cross evaded everyone and crept into Dorus De Vries' bottom corner for Boro's first goal in the second tier since Craig Hignett scored against Oxford in May 1998.

Dobbie scuffed a close-range effort wide moments after the interval and Swansea searched for a way back into the game, but their hopes were quickly extinguished as Emnes rifled Boro further ahead.

The Dutch playmaker struggled with injuries last season but helped to banish those memories as he let fly with a 20-yard drive that flew into the top corner.

Dobbie continued to frustrate the home fans as he dragged a shot across the face of goal, while captain Garry Monk should have done better with a free header from a corner.

Andrea Orlandi refused to give up the chase for the home side as he forced Coyne to tip his fizzing free-kick over the bar before Turkey striker Tuncay, who is expected to leave Boro before the transfer window shuts, nearly marked coming on as substitute with a goal as he saw an effort drift wide.

But he did not have to wait too much longer to make his mark, bundling home Johnson's corner eight minutes from time.

Teams:

Swansea: De Vries, Williams, Tate, Monk, Rangel, Britton, Orlandi (Pintado 76), Dyer, MacDonald (Richards 63), Gower (Thomas 62), Dobbie.

Subs Not Used: Painter, Cornell, Bessone, Bond.

Booked: Orlandi, Dobbie.

Middlesbrough: Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Williams, Grounds, Yeates (Arca 85), O'Neil, Adam Johnson, Lita (Franks 79), Emnes (Sanli 67).

Subs Not Used: Steele, Hoyte, Taylor, Hines.

Booked: Williams, O'Neil, McMahon, Huth.

Goals: Adam Johnson 32, Emnes 52, Sanli 82.

Att: 16,201

Ref: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire).