Chris Wilder: Middlesbrough boss frustrated by mistakes in Hull City loss

Boro keeper Joe Lumley failed to save Keane Lewis-Potter's shot, which proved the winner

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder says goalkeeper Joe Lumley's error for Hull City's winner on Saturday was just one of a number of disappointing mistakes made right through the side.

Boro, who are in the clutch of teams fighting for the play-offs, missed the chance to go back into the top six.

It was a second 1-0 defeat for the Teessiders in the space of four days, after last Wednesday's loss to Fulham.

"I've protected Joe, but that's a mistake," Wilder told BBC Radio Tees.

"He has to save it, there's no hiding place out there. As well, right the way through the team after 25 minutes, we never built momentum and we never played in the shape we play.

"We did things out there today I've not seen us do."

Wilder at loss to understand display

Anfernee Dijksteel and Jonny Howson (centre, right) discuss the nature of the Hull goal in the aftermath

With a game in hand on Sheffield United and Blackburn, who are just above them in the Championship table, and just three points outside the top six places, the race is still very much on for Boro.

However, with such a congested pack and only seven points separating Nottingham Forest in third from QPR in 11th, picking up points and taking chances has added importance.

The defeat by league leaders Fulham, who themselves lost to Coventry on Sunday, was a frustrating one for Wilder as his side dominated large spells of the game but failed to take their opportunities to score.

It was a different story on Saturday, as an out-of-sorts display saw the visiting Tigers come away with the points.

"This should have been a week where we came through undefeated," Wilder added.

"Whether it's three at Peterborough when we played well, a point Wednesday and a point today. You take that and move into a big weekend. We're two points light over the week from where we should be.

"I'm scratching my head after Wednesday, we talked and we were positive, we trained well. We should have been good enough, but we're seeing poor decisions, individual errors, balls running under players' feet, people giving it away under no pressure.

"It was quite a difficult performance to understand where it came from."