The Dutchman curled home a 78th-minute free-kick to finally kill off the Eagles’ brave resistance and secure back-to-back Barclays Premiership wins for Steve McClaren’s side for the first time since November last year.

But Boro had to come from behind to claim the points after Palace took the lead against the run of play through Andrew Johnson’s 51st-minute penalty.

They got back on level terms in slightly fortunate circumstances when defender Tony Popovic deflected a Stewart Downing corner into his own net. Despite the visitors’ work-rate and commitment, Boro deserved the victory and it was fitting that Hasselbaink, who was a menace throughout, claimed the decisive strike.

Iain Dowie’s men, and particularly goalkeeper Julian Speroni, who made a string of fine saves, will feel they could have left with something.

Speroni, a £500,000 summer signing from Dundee, was the central character in the opening 45 minutes, pulling off a string of vital saves to keep his side in it and erase the memories of his nightmare against Everton last weekend.

Had it not been for the Argentinian, who pulled off double stops first from Hasselbaink and Chris Riggott and then from Stuart Parnaby and Hasselbaink, later kept out Ray Parlour’s long-range effort.

However, the Eagles could just as easily have gone in a goal to the good had midfielder Michael Hughes’ finishing matched the quality of the rest of his game when he was presented with a gilt-edged 39th-minute chance by lively winger Joonas Kolkka.

That said, it was Boro who dominated with Parlour and Boudewijn Zenden pulling the strings in midfield for Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka to make their presence felt in attack.

The Dutchman unleashed the first of a series of well-struck efforts within 50 seconds of the kick-off and was a constant threat, while his Australian sidekick turned sweetly away from Fitz Hall to smash a 28th-minute volley just over Speroni’s crossbar.

Within three minutes, the South American was flinging himself across his goal to keep out a Hasselbaink piledriver and then get a hand to Riggott’s follow-up, and he was called upon again eight minutes before the break to block Parnaby’s effort and prevent Hasselbaink from reaching the rebound.

Palace, who had earlier seen Hall and Johnson test Mark Schwarzer, should have taken the lead only for Hughes to side-foot wide from Kolkka’s inch-perfect cross.

There was no let-up after the break as Hasselbaink continued his one-man mission to torment the visitors’ defence, forcing another good save from Speroni and then prompting a fine block by Popovic.

Mendieta failed to make the most of acres of space down the Boro right on 50 minutes when his attempted pull-back to the Dutchman was intercepted, and his afternoon would come to a premature end within five minutes.

However, by the time the Spaniard reached the bench, his side was behind.

Johnson set off on a determined run towards the box, riding Franck Queudrue’s inelegant challenge and then going down as Riggott slid in.

Referee Mike Dean immediately pointed to the spot and Johnson dusted himself down to smash the ball straight down the middle and open the scoring.

McClaren’s response was to replace the lethargic Mendieta and Zenden with Szilard Nemeth and Downing, and the move paid dividends within five minutes.

Boro were awarded a 60th-minute free-kick on the right and when Downing’s ball was allowed to travel into the six-yard box, it hit the unfortunate Popovic’s heel and ricocheted into the net.

The Teessiders had regained their composure and were starting to threaten on a regular basis once again, and Hasselbaink could have put them ahead on 69 minutes after Speroni misjudged his approach to a Downing corner, but the Dutchman skied the ball high over.

Palace were engaged in a life-or-death battle for survival and Speroni kept them on level terms with 15 minutes remaining when he dealt with another speculative Parlour effort as his defenders scrapped to protect him.

He did even better a minute later to keep out Nemeth’s left-foot shot after he had cut in from the right, and he deserved his slice of good fortune when the Slovakian headed the rebound onto the roof of the net.

But there was nothing he could do to prevent Boro taking the lead on 78 minutes when, after Hughes had tripped George Boateng, Hasselbaink curled an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner.

Palace fought to the whistle, but Boro were not about to surrender their lead and might even have extended it as Downing chipped away at the visitors’ defence.