Substitute Britt Assombalonga headed a last-minute equaliser to rescue a valuable point in a 1-1 draw at Burton Albion.
Marvin Sordell had earned their opponents an early lead when taking advantage of Lloyd Dyer’s inviting cross, until Boro’s club record £15m buy forced in a late reply.
Defender Martin Cranie was given a first start for the visitors while Jonny Howson returned into midfield. Both Ryan Shotton and Adam Clayton dropped to the bench.
The Brewers are desperate for points at the bottom of the table, and made the perfect start with Sordell turning a low delivery inside the near post on just six minutes.
There were actually few clear opportunities either way following that, with Boro making an early change as Assombalonga replaced Howson ahead of the break.
Both Liam Boyce and Adama Traore exchanged efforts after the restart, before the former also headed wide as his colleagues chased a second goal.
However, Assombalonga wasted a decent chance when blazing over from inside the opposite area, until substitute Jack Harrison lifted onto the crossbar in the final minute and the former Nottingham Forest striker headed in from virtually on the line.
Burton Albion: Bywater, Brayford, Naylor, McFadzean (Turner 90), McCrory, Sordell, Davenport, Akpan (Murphy 79), Dyer, Boyce (Allen 86), Bent
subs (unused): Samuelsen, Buxton, Sbarra, Egert
Goals: Sordell (6)
Middlesbrough: Randolph, Cranie, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Howson (Assombalonga 37), Leadbitter (Clayton 79), Besic, Traore, Bamford, Downing (Harrison 76)
subs (unused): Konstantopoulos, Shotton, Fry, Baker
Goals: Assombalonga (90)
Ref: D. Coote
Att: 4,468
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