Match ends, Middlesbrough 1, Blackburn Rovers 1.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough1BlackburnBlackburn Rovers1
Rudy Gestede scored a controversial injury-time goal to ensure Blackburn shared the spoils with Middlesbrough.
Boro's Albert Adomah went close after keeper Simon Eastwood spilled Patrick Bamford's shot and Jelle Vossen's follow-up was cleared off the line.
Eastwood produced a remarkable point-blank save from a Vossen header before Bamford beat him with a deflected shot.
But Gestede fired home to equalise, despite Boro's claims that keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos had been fouled.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka was sent to the stands for arguing with officials as Konstantopoulos received treatment following the incident.
Despite the draw, both sides remain in the play-off places, with Boro slipping back two spots to fifth following wins for Ipswich Town and Brentford.
Gestede's equaliser extended Blackburn's unbeaten run to nine matches.
| Blackburn's unbeaten run | |
|---|---|
| 4 Oct: 0-0 v Huddersfield (H) | 18 Oct: 1-1 v Ipswich Town (A) |
| 21 Oct: 1-0 v Birmingham City (H) | 25 Oct: 3-1 v Nott'm Forest (A) |
| 1 Nov: 3-1 v Reading (H) | 4 Nov: 2-2 v Millwall (A) |
| 8 Nov: 1-1 v Brighton (A) | 22 Nov: 2-1 v Lee United (H) |
| 29 Nov: 1-1 v Middlesbrough (A) | |
Boro made a bright start with Vossen nodding wide before Grant Leadbitter tested Rovers' keeper from distance.
Shane Duffy ensured the scores remained level by getting back to deny Vossen after Eastwood failed to control Bamford's bending effort from the edge of the area.
Eastwood, making his first start of the season, foiled Bamford twice more in the first half as Vossen was also kept out by the the 25-year-old keeper.
Daniel Ayala, with his head bandaged following an aerial clash with Gestede, went close as he glanced a header wide from a Leadbitter corner.
The closest Rovers came to scoring was Duffy's diving clearance in defence which hit the side netting of his own goal.
At the other end, the only work home goalkeeper Konstantopoulos had to do before the break was gather a tame overhead kick from Jordan Rhodes early on.
After Bamford resumed his battle with Eastwood with the first chance of the second half, Konstantopoulos had his first serious save to make as Ben Marshall cut inside to shoot.
Vossen was then sensationally denied after meeting a George Friend cross and Lee Tomlin became the next to be foiled by Rovers' inspired keeper.
However, Eastwood was eventually beaten by Bamford with the help of a deflection after the on-loan Chelsea striker latched onto a loose ball in the box as the visitors failed to clear a corner.
But the late drama on 94 minutes ensured Rovers left the Riverside with a point.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka:
"It's very frustrating. I would like to apologise because my behaviour was not good and Middlesbrough Football Club deserves better from me.
"But it was tough to take because we had worked so hard for 92, 93 minutes and what we had worked so hard for was almost in our grasp.
"I was sent to the stands for pushing the fourth official but I was arguing with him, not touching him.
"I thought the goal should have been disallowed for a foul on the keeper."
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer:
"I only saw the equaliser in real time. There was some commotion about it in real time and I saw Boro weren't happy about it but I wasn't concentrating on their goalkeeper. I was concentrating on the ball going into the back of the net."
"The resilience and character of our side was great.
"We had the first chance and we hit the post late on and we got the benefit of our never-say-die attitude."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Konstantopoulos
- 5FredericksSubstituted forNsueat 45+3'minutes
- 4AyalaSubstituted forGibsonat 84'minutes
- 22Omeruo
- 3Friend
- 7Leadbitter
- 18Whitehead
- 23Bamford
- 10TomlinBooked at 56mins
- 27Adomah
- 21VossenSubstituted forKikeat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Gibson
- 9Kike
- 20Reach
- 24Nsue
- 29Veljkovic
- 33Wildschut
- 40Mejias
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Eastwood
- 15Baptiste
- 5HanleySubstituted forHenleyat 41'minutes
- 22Duffy
- 14Olsson
- 25Tunnicliffe
- 29EvansBooked at 55minsSubstituted forBrownat 86'minutes
- 17Williamson
- 12Marshall
- 39Gestede
- 11RhodesSubstituted forConwayat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Henley
- 8Dunn
- 9Brown
- 16Varney
- 19Taylor
- 32Conway
- 34Kean
- Referee:
- Mark Clattenburg
- Attendance:
- 18,152
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamBlackburn
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home11
- Away6
- Corners
- Home15
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 1, Blackburn Rovers 1.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Dimitrios Konstantopoulos (Middlesbrough) because of an injury.
Goal!
Goal! Middlesbrough 1, Blackburn Rovers 1. Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner following a corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Marshall with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Patrick Bamford.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dean Whitehead.
Post update
Attempt missed. Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Rudy Gestede.
Post update
Kike (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Alex Baptiste (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Attempt saved. Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Rudy Gestede.
Post update
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Rudy Gestede tries a through ball, but Alex Baptiste is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Chris Brown (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Shane Duffy.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kike (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Grant Leadbitter.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Chris Brown replaces Corry Evans.
Post update
Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Craig Conway with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Ben Gibson replaces Daniel Ayala because of an injury.
