Albert Adomah scored two late goals but it wasn’t enough to signal a dramatic comeback as Middlesbrough lost 3-2 to lowly Barnsley at Oakwell.
Boro found themselves trailing by three goals at the break against opponents who had actually started the day at the bottom of the table.
Former Celtic winger Paddy McCourt opened their account with a solo effort before Chris O’Grady added two more just prior to the break – with his second coming from the penalty spot.
That scoreline remained until the final ten minutes of the contest, when Adomah netted twice in rapid succession to spark hopes of an unlikely recovery.
Skipper Rhys Williams was earlier moved to the bench after suffering a foot injury whilst away on international duty. Seb Hines therefore came in for his first game of the season and Lukas Jutkiewicz was also restored to the side.
The recalled Jutkiewicz threatened with an early drive before good work from O’Grady ended with his cross being deflected away by Boro’s Ben Gibson. Scott Wiseman was then wide from the edge of the area.
The visitors replied with Dean Whitehead releasing Jutkiewicz to clear the target with only goalkeeper Jack Butland to beat.
Barnsley went in front a minute later as McCourt skipped through challenges and stabbed past Jason Steele. However, the Northern Ireland international soon limped out of the contest.
Skipper Grant Leadbitter and Kei Kamara combined at a free-kick for Jutkiewicz to head directly at Butland before substitute Jim O’Brien’s shot deflected off team-mate O’Grady to double the home advantage.
The situation grew even worse for the visitors a couple of minutes later when Gibson fouled Marcus Pedersen inside the area and O’Grady added his second from the spot.
Boro manager Tony Mowbray made a couple of changes at the interval and Kamara soon nodded at Butland, although Pedersen screwed a 25-yard reply wide with Steele off his line.
Another switch from the visitors midway through the second period witnessed the introduction of Mustapha Carayol, who immediately seized upon a defensive slip and curled his shot against the crossbar.
O’Brien headed wide in reply before substitutes Marvin Emnes and Carayol were both denied by on loan single-cap England goalkeeper Butland, who was though beaten by Adomah’s volley inside the final ten minutes.
Moments later Frazer Richardson delivered for Adomah to head his second of the game, but though there were a couple of blocked later attempts the visitors couldn’t complete a dramatic recovery.
Barnsley: Butland, Wiseman, Kennedy, Fox, Cranie, Mvoto, Mellis (Cywka 65), Perkins, O’Grady, Pedersen (Scotland 75), McCourt (O’Brien 29)
subs (unused): Hassell, Dawson, Jennings, Etuhu
Goals; McCourt (26), O’Grady (41, pen 43)
Middlesbrough: Steele, Richardson, Hines, Gibson, Friend, Leadbitter, Butterfield (Emnes 45), Whitehead (Smallwood 45), Jutkiewicz (Carayol 67), Kamara, Adomah
subs (unused): R. Williams, Varga, Parnaby, Konstantopoulos
Goals: Adomah (82, 84)
Ref: O. Langford
Att: 11,438
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