Middlesbough’s promotion hopes continue to fade as they slipped out of the play-offs with a 2-1 defeat to Millwall at the Riverside.
The Teessiders fell behind when George Friend headed a James Henry cross into his own net and Martyn Woolford then added a second for the visitors before the break.
Home striker Curtis Main managed to pull one back with fifteen minutes remaining and substitute Scott McDonald saw a late effort ruled out for offside.
Millwall also went into the contest on the back of a poor run and five straight league defeats – including a 5-1 home thrashing to bottom club Peterborough United in midweek.
Boro’s Grant Leadbitter struck an early free-kick over but it was a set-piece at the other end that brought about the opening goal midway through the first-half as Friend diverted a cross past his own keeper.
Midfielder Leadbitter replied with another effort which missed the target from the edge of the area, although it was Woolford adding a second goal for the visitors after Jason Steele had denied Benik Afobe five minutes before the break.
Not surprisingly Boro manager Tony Mowbray made a double-change at the interval with Kieron Dyer and Rhys Williams being withdrawn in favour of Ishmael Miller and Muzzy Carayol.
Friend soon had an effort deflected wide as the hosts won a number of early corners until substitute Carayol forced a first save of the afternoon from David Forde on the hour.
However, Millwall might have added a third goal when Afobe broke and dragged across the face of goal before Main finally turned in Friend’s cross for his third goal in four games with fifteen minutes still remaining.
Goalscorer Main went on to volley another opportunity wide while substitute McDonald forced the ball in during added time but a raised offside flag swiftly ended any celebrations.
Middlesbrough: Steele, Bailey, McManus, Bikey, Friend, R. Williams (Carayol 46), Leadbitter, Dyer (Miller 46), McEachran, Emnes (McDonald 69), Main
subs (unused): Ripley, Hines, Smallwood, Ledesma
Goals: Main (75)
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Shittu, Beevers, Osborne, Wright, Henry, Woolford, Abdou, Marquis, Afobe
subs (unused): M. Taylor, Smith, Malone, Trotter, Tyson, Keogh, N’Guessan
Goals: Friend OG (25), Woolford (40)
Ref: Naylor
Att: 15,377
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