Match ends, Middlesbrough 0, Fulham 0.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough0FulhamFulham0
Middlesbrough sank into the bottom three in the Championship after being held to a goalless draw at home by 10-man Fulham.
Boro, who had found the net only three times in their previous six games, drew another blank despite the dismissal of Whites goalkeeper Marek Rodak after just 17 minutes.
The Slovakian youngster was shown a red card for handling Jonny Howson's shot outside the area but, although Lewis Wing's second-half effort struck the post, the hosts failed to take advantage.
Aleksandar Mitrovic squandered Fulham's best opportunity to snatch the win, heading Joe Bryan's cross wide from close range.
There were half-chances for both sides in the opening stages, with Boro's Ashley Fletcher firing over the bar and Fulham unable to take advantage after Aynsley Pears spilled Bobby Decordova-Reid's cross.
But an error by Pears' opposite number left the visitors a man short as Rodak raced out of his box to deal with Wing's through ball and referee Peter Bankes ruled that the keeper had blocked Howson's attempted chip with his hand.
Josh Onomah was sacrificed as Marcus Bettinelli took over the gloves, but there was little for the replacement keeper to do as Britt Assombalonga headed Boro's best chance over the bar.
Fulham looked the better side after the break and Bryan set up an inviting chance for Mitrovic, but the Championship's top scorer misdirected his header.
Wing's 73rd-minute free-kick, which rattled the base of a post, was the nearest Boro came to registering an effort on target until injury time, when Bettinelli was finally called into action to foil Paddy McNair.
Boro, who are now winless in seven league games, slip a place to 22nd and into the relegation zone following Huddersfield's win over Barnsley.
Middlesbrough head coach Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Tees:
"When they went down to 10 men it killed the game, because they sat right back. When they had 11 on the pitch we were on top, creating chances, but when they sat the rest behind the ball.
"We didn't really have the creativity to unlock their defence. We didn't pass it with any finesse, we weren't clinically strong.
"If you look at the last few games, we've created chances but we need to put them in the back of the net.
"Everyone knows that and we've got to stay with it, practise hard on the training pitch and hopefully a bit of luck falls for you."
Fulham head coach Scott Parker told BBC Tees:
"I feel like, even with 10 men, we had the better of it, with the better opportunities. The first shot on target for them comes in the 93rd minute.
"I think we nullified them and we looked a threat, certainly second half at times. [It was] a good point in the circumstances.
"We top a lot of stats in this league but what numbers can't measure is what the team showed today - a mentality, a desire, a real passion to try and win even in the adversity of going down to 10 men."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
- 42Pears
- 17McNairBooked at 87mins
- 4Ayala
- 6Fry
- 16Howson
- 7TavernierBooked at 42mins
- 26Wing
- 22SavilleSubstituted forBrowneat 64'minutes
- 33CoulsonBooked at 45minsSubstituted forJohnsonat 68'minutes
- 9Assombalonga
- 11Fletcher
Substitutes
- 1Mejias
- 2Dijksteel
- 8Clayton
- 10Browne
- 21Johnson
- 27Bola
- 37Liddle
Fulham
- 12RodákBooked at 17mins
- 4OdoiBooked at 7mins
- 5Mawson
- 13Ream
- 23Bryan
- 25OnomahSubstituted forBettinelliat 19'minutes
- 21ReedBooked at 72mins
- 10Cairney
- 19CavaleiroSubstituted forLe Marchandat 84'minutes
- 9Mitrovic
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forKnockaertat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Bettinelli
- 6McDonald
- 8Johansen
- 20Le Marchand
- 24Knockaert
- 43S Sessegnon
- 47Kamara
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 19,101
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamFulham
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away1
- Corners
- Home5
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Fulham 0.
Post update
Attempt saved. Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcus Browne with a cross.
Post update
Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
Post update
Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Cairney (Fulham).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Booking
Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Anthony Knockaert (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Maxime Le Marchand replaces Ivan Cavaleiro.
Post update
Foul by Marcus Browne (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Browne.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Joe Bryan.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Anthony Knockaert replaces Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Post update
Foul by Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough).
