Top two share points as Boro draw with Stoke

Middlesbrough and Stoke have each drawn their last two Championship games

Championship leaders Middlesbrough dropped points for a second successive game as they were held to a goalless draw by high-flying Stoke City.

Boro are now eight games unbeaten and this result followed on from a draw at Southampton on Saturday, but their advantage at the top remains four points.

It was also a second consecutive draw for Stoke, who climb up to second.

Boro were the better side in the first period with only sharp work from Sweden goalkeeper Viktor Johansson preventing them from going ahead.

However, the Potters improved and shaded an exciting second half but Slovakia striker Robert Bozenik wasted a great chance to secure all three points for his side.

Rob Edwards had rejigged his side for this one, switching from three central defenders to a flat back four and he was changing again after less than five minutes.

Centre-half George Edmundson went down injured and was replaced by Sammy Silvera, with the Australia international coming on at right-back and Luke Ayling moved across into the middle.

But the home side shrugged off the disruption and would gone in front but for two fine saves by Johansson to deny Hayden Hackney and then David Strelec.

However, the most controversial moment of the half involved Boro's Tommy Conway and Stoke midfielder Ben Pearson.

Conway led an attack down the right and cut back into the area on the inside of Pearson, who dangled a leg. The forward went down and with the Riverside expecting to see referee David Webb point to the penalty spot, the official insisted awarded a free-kick to the visitors and booked Conway for diving.

Boro were furious and Scotland forward Conway continued his protests as the players went off at half-time.

After only winning one of their previous four games, Potters boss Mark Robins had changed half his outfield players before the game and he made two substitutions at the interval

They were immediately better with the dangerous Sorba Thomas' curler kept out by Sol Brynn, although Aidan Morris should have scored at the other end but shot over from 12 yards after midfield partner Hackney picked him out.

The best chance, though, fell to Bozenik, as he was picked out inside the area, but he swept it wide of the far post in what turned out to be his final touch.

The two goalkeepers made other saves towards the end as the two sides chased a winner which never came, although the result continues their fine starts to the campaign.

'We should have had a penalty' - Boro boss Edwards

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards told BBC Radio Tees:

"First half, I thought we were excellent. We played really well, really good intensity, some good football and we should have had a penalty.

"It was pretty clear to me and looking back at it as well. That was really frustrating.

"I've got to bite my lip now because I want to make sure I'm on the touchline in games going forward. He hasn't dived. There's contact there. It's a difficult one to take.

"Clearly second half, they tweaked one or two bits, our energy levels dropped a little bit and we gave the ball away too many times.

"Then it was a case of 'we're not feeling like we're going to win this one, so let's make sure we don't lose it'. So we respect the point against a good team."

Stoke City manager Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:

"The second half we were much better because we were more compact. When we were pressing first half, we got stretched.

"They're a good team, well coached - they had an extra body in midfield and it changed the way we could go about things.

"The second half, we were on the front foot as much as we possibly could, but it became a basketball game in the end because we kept turning the ball over.

"But it was a really good performance, a good team performance and one we can be proud of because these are flying at the moment."