"I am delighted with the win and delighted with the workrate," he said. "We had some nervous moments - the penalty was one and (Kari) Arnason cleared one off the line - but you are not going to come to Middlesbrough and not get that.
"But we didn't just sit back. We had our chances too and their keeper had to make a few good saves too.
"We worked hard at the back and in midfield to keep a quality side at bay and we scored a great goal.
"Jamie Mackie caused mayhem for them. Their centre-backs won't have a harder afternoon all year. It was a good goal, a good touch to take him through and a good finish."
"It was frustrating," admitted Gordon Strachan. "It always is when you lose. But it was nice to be back. I enjoyed it, not the game but the experience.
"It will take hard work for us to find a winning formula.
"In terms of creating chances and getting the crosses in we don't have a problem but that formula in terms of scoring goals is just not there. Maybe a bit of that is in the head."
Boro slipped to a fourth defeat and fourth blank in five home games, and Strachan admitted: "I wish there were some words to say to put that right but there aren't.
"You can only do it by hard work in training and hard work on the pitch.
"We need to finish the chances but then we all know what's wrong. You don't need to be a UEFA-qualified pro to see that. We'll put it right."