A devastating first-half attacking display saw Middlesbrough get off the mark with their first win of the new Championship campaign over a hugely pedestrian Bolton Wanderers side.
Watford loanee Diego Fabbrini banished memories of the departed Lee Tomlin with a stunning long-range effort with just seven minutes on the clock before Kike netted twice to leave the home side coasting with just half an hour played.
The visitors improved in the second half after the introduction of young star Zach Clough but despite his energy and effort it was too little, too late from Neil Lennon's side who find themselves with just a solitary point to their name after two games.
Fabbrini with a hand in the first two goals
Despite Boro taking the lead after only seven minutes, they easily could have been one up with just 90 seconds on the clock as Stewart Downing, making his second home debut at the Riverside Stadium, cut inside from the left and stung the palms of Ben Amos with a right-footed effort from close range.
It was a sign of things to come. With the hosts' attacking midfield trio of Fabbrini, Downing and the electric Albert Adomah combining with impressive fluidity considering the stage of the season, it was the Italian who brought the ball in from the left and let fly with an unstoppable effort which ripped into the top-left corner from 25 yards.
Although Dean Moxey and Jay Spearing had half-chances blocked inside the penalty area for the away side, they offered precious little in attack with 37-year-old Emile Heskey their only real outlet. While the former England man predictably won more headers than he lost, his link-up play was not what it once was and both he and his attacking teammates were left frustrated by a lack of chemistry in the final third.
For Boro, there was no such problem, and Fabbrini made his second impression on the game with 16 minutes played. Again he brought the ball forward through the centre before threading a pass through to Kike who had escaped the attention of his marker. The Spanish forward, starting ahead of new signings Cristhian Stuani and David Nugent, made no mistake and calmly slid the ball under Amos into the back of the net.
Entertaining performance from livewire Adomah
Despite Fabbrini and Downing making the headlines as they combined down the left, their efforts frequently served to open up fan favourite Adomah on the other flank and with 25 minutes played, he exemplified the feel-good factor surrounding the stadium with a moment of impish brilliance.
With his right boot loose on his foot as he patrolled the halfway line, he kicked it away as the ball came to him and promptly beat the tortured visiting left-back Moxey before breaking down the wing. Bootless, he opted not to cut into the area but took the ball outside and delivered a delicious cross towards the far post where Downing was beaten to the header.
Moments later and back on the halfway line, he was still calling for the ball without his boot - though referee James Adcock delayed his return from the sideline once he had convinced the Ghana winger to put his boot on at the side of the pitch rather than on it.
Kike makes sure of the points
However, with half an hour played the game was all but wrapped up. Downing found Fabbrini inside the area and the Italian went for his second, his shot eventually deflecting and looping over Amos, who managed to re-adjust and stretch a fingertip to knock the ball onto the bar. Unfortunately for the former Manchester United keeper, Kike was on hand to bundle the ball into the net and claim his first ever brace in Middlesbrough colours.
He could have had his hat-trick from a Downing cross but saw his effort blocked, while Rob Holding's blocked effort at the other end was as close as Bolton came to a goal in the opening 45 - though in truth, this wasn't saying much.
Second-half stalemate
The second half threatened to begin in as blistering fashion as the first as twice Downing was flagged marginally offside as he looked to break in on goal, while George Friend suffered the same fate - though his right-footed shot after the flag was up was some distance over the bar in any case.
20-year-old forward Clough offered some improvement for the Trotters and he twice threatened to pull a goal back in the second half. Providing a defter touch than the isolated Liam Feeney, he first barrelled down the middle before being stopped by Daniel Ayala at the edge of the area, before jinking past two defenders down the left at the byline but seeing his pass across goal hacked away with nobody around the six-yard box to turn it in.
In truth, the second period was not on the same level as the first with the hosts holding onto the ball more and the visitors coming forward with little cutting edge.
New forwards Stuani and Nugent were introduced to warm receptions apiece from the home fans, though neither really came close to troubling the scorers. The latter did his level best to latch onto a low cross from Downing with almost the last kick of the game but he put his shot over at a stretch after Emilio Nsue had blazed wildly over with both new men ready to pounce on a cross in the centre.
Contrasting emotions in the two dug-outs
After an uninspiring opening-day draw at Preston North End which brought no goals and no shots on target, Aitor Karanka will be pleased with his side's resurgence ahead of their clash with fellow big-spending promotion favourites Derby County on Tuesday night.
Conversely, visiting boss Lennon has cause to be concerned after a disastrous first-half performance from his admittedly injury-worn side. They are still yet to score in any of their three games so far this term and must look to improve in their upcoming clash with recently-promoted MK Dons, who lost at home to Preston on Saturday.