West Brom 2 Middlesbrough 3: Visitors snatch it at the death after Baggies had fought back to level under Eric Ramsay
Eric Ramsay was denied a memorable comeback point on his first game in charge of Albion as Middlesbrough's Delano Burgzorg struck a 90th-minute winner at The Hawthorns.
The Baggies looked to have bagged an improbable point on Ramsay's bow in the dugout having fought back from 2-0 down through Isaac Price and Jed Wallace quickfire goals 10 minutes from time.
An unfortunate Charlie Taylor own goal before half-time was followed up by Sam Silvera prior to the hour and left Ramsay's hosts facing a long way back.
They responded admirably, inspired by changes as Boro regretted a missed chance, with well-taken goals from Price and returning skipper Wallace, on the from the bench, but it was the visitors substitute Burgzorg who fired in across Griffiths to break Albion hearts.
It was yet another late, late blow for Albion this term. This time it was Ramsay, as opposed to Ryan Mason, in the dugout feeling the brunt of the drama. The last league game, at Leicester 11 days earlier, saw Abdul Fatawu deal the hammerblow to consign Mason to his fate.
The new head coach had been able to inspire his side to a second-half fightback following an underwhelming first period in which the visitors dominated all of the ball, and were at times frustrated by the Baggies in a back five under the new boss.
The shackles came off somewhat at 2-0 down and it looked enough for a share of the spoils before Burgzorg's painful intervention, with the 18th-placed Baggies susceptible to be leapfrogged by lowly rivals over the next 24 hours ahead of a crunch clash at home to Norwich on Tuesday.
It was a mere 360 days ago Albion were beaten 2-0 at Middlesbrough's Riverside on Tony Mowbray's return to the Baggies dugout. This Albion display gave more encouragement due to the spirited fightback, but ended with a similar outcome.
Albion were stretched without the club's only three senior central midfielders Alex Mowatt and Jayson Molumby, both injured, and Ousmane Diakite on compassionate leave.
Krystian Bielik, the captain, and Callum Styles were named as an unorthodox pair. Mikey Johnston and Samuel Iling-Junior at wing-back also raised eyebrows, especially the former.
Ramsay was very well received by the home crowd as he was introduced ahead of kick-off. He emerged with a double-handed wave to a loud roar, before volume raised with the sharp shrill of the Liquidator.
It was almost the perfect start.
Boro were slack in their own backline as Luke Ayling dawdled and in roared Aune Heggebo to win in.
He was less decisive thereafter, and took at least two too many touches when bearing in on Sol Brynn's goal and the Teesside-born goalkeeper was able to get out and smother Heggebo's effort.
It got the crowd pumped and the energy stayed up for 10 minutes.
Ramsay's men broke in style as makeshift midfielder Bielik sent Iling-Junior racing down the left. His cross was flicked on and eventually just about cleared, but it was a sign of Albion's desire to counter at pace under the new boss.
Chris Mepham lifted a corner over after a spillage from Brynn before Kim Hellberg's visitors settled into possession.
By the midpoint of the first period they had dominated 70 per cent of the ball but much was by Ramsay design, it felt.
It was noticeable how the 10 outfield players sunk into a deep shape in their own half, even Heggebo. It drowned out space and stifled Boro, who so often failed to thread the eye of a needle.
It took Aidan Morris' rising angled drive from the corner of the box, which didn't miss by much, after 25 minutes for a first visiting effort.
Josh Griffiths had to be alive to a quickly-taken angled free-kick effort by Morgan Whittaker with the volume coming from the away end.
Albion's quick break method forced an opening as half-time approached as Karlan Grant sent a tame low effort at Brynn. Tommy Conway did likewise down the other end.
Boro did find a way through before the interval, however. Red shirts were this time given too much room in Albion's third and former academy youngster Alex Gilbert's low 18-yard strike cannoned off the post and pinged back out to Taylor.
Southampton loanee Taylor tried to react and steer the ball away with his leg but couldn't, and it flew in at Griffiths' top corner kissing the post.
The Baggies tried to react before half-time but former Boro loanee Iling-Junior flashed wide from the corner of the box.
Ramsay decided against changes but Albion emerged with little spark aside from a Heggebo snapshot from 20 yards fielded by Brynn.
Hellberg's side looked to have put the contest beyond the Baggies with a second before the hour.
The north east visitors initially worked it well from their half, but attempts to win it back by Iling-Junior and Chris Mepham were half-baked. The ball was worked to Silvera who finished with a fierce low strike across Griffiths into the far corner.
Ramsay had to take action and sent for Josh Maja and Wallace. The shape tweaked, too, to a back four with Iling-Junior trying to drift from left-back and Johnston now advanced on the left after an ineffective wing-back stint on the other side.
Albion looked dead and buried, though, and would have been had French defender Adilson Malanda now skied an unmarked header from four yards from a corner.
Four minutes later the hosts had one back. Referee Josh Smith missed a penalty as he awarded a foul on Grant on the edge of the box but contact was made just inside.
It mattered not. The Baggies teed it up for Price, who had been quiet, but caressed a fine curled strike into the corner. Game on.
Price went close again from a similar position as he curled inches wide but the home fans believed.
They were right to. With 10 minutes left on the clock the hosts were level as Wallace's crisp first-time finish caused bedlam as The Hawthorns erupted.
Maja had made an impact and he found Iling-Junior on the left. His cross was inadvertently poked into Wallace's path the returning winger matched his impact from last weekend with a fine finish.
It promised a big finish - and one was delivered, but not a Ramsay fairytale.
Boro showed signs of recovery and Griffiths did well to stand strong to a Morris strike from an impossible angle as the clash ticked to 90.
And the finale was yet again tough to take for the Baggies.
Stoppage time was about to begin as Silvera slipped in Burgzorg on the right of the box and the substitute did the rest with a driven finish across Griffiths, who this time was helpless.
The Boro end once again erupted and this time there was no time for an Albion fightback.
Albion (5-4-1): Griffiths; Phillips (Dike, 90+2), Mepham (Campbell, 76), Taylor; Johnston, Styles, Bielik (Wallace 64), Iling-Junior, Price, Grant; Heggebo (Maja, 64)
Subs not used: Wildsmith, Gilchrist, Whitwell, Deeming, Bostock
Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Brynn; Browne, Ayling, Malanda, Targett; Hackney (c), Morris; Gilbert (Burgzorg, 65), Whittaker (Fry, 82), Silvera; Conway (Castledine, 90+2)
Subs not used: McLaughlin, Munroe, Nypan, Castledine, Hansen, McCabe, Kante
Referee: Josh Smith