By Elliot Desage
Middlesbrough were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor on Wednesday night, despite producing what manager Kim Hellberg considered one of their strongest performances of the season.
Boro made the brighter start and deservedly took the lead in the 23rd minute through Aidan Morris.
The American midfielder produced an excellent finish from around 20 yards after being set up by fellow countryman Sebastian Berhalter, giving Middlesbrough a reward for their positive approach.
Hellberg’s side continued to look dangerous before half-time and created several opportunities to extend their advantage.
Morris came particularly close to a second when another long-range effort struck the post, while Riley McGree also missed a good chance from close range.
In control
Middlesbrough went into the interval in control and could have been out of sight had they been more clinical in front of goal.
The game changed after the break, however, as Burnley responded with greater intensity and began to put Boro under more pressure.
The hosts were rewarded in the 54th minute when Ugo Raghouber found the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area to bring the Clarets level.
Although Burnley enjoyed a strong spell following the equaliser, Hellberg felt his team remained largely comfortable defensively and did not allow the hosts to create a large number of clear opportunities.
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The better team
“Over 90 minutes, I think we were the better team,” said the Boro boss, speaking to BBC Radio Tees.
Dastan Satpaev tested Radek Vitek after twisting his way beyond Alfie Jones, while Aaron Ramsey fired narrowly wide late on.
Middlesbrough ultimately held firm to claim a point from their trip to Lancashire.
For Hellberg, the result was frustrating given the chances his side had created, particularly during the first half.
Encouraged by display
However, the Middlesbrough boss remained encouraged by the overall performance and the way his team controlled large periods against a Burnley side he believes will prove to be a strong Championship opponent.
“We would have wanted three points, but we had to settle for one,” Hellberg said after the match.
The draw also provided another indication that Middlesbrough are continuing to develop under Hellberg.
With several players still returning to full fitness and the squad continuing to build cohesion, the head coach believes there is considerable room for improvement.
“This was a big step forward in terms of how we want to look as a football side,” he added.
Mixed feelings
Middlesbrough will therefore leave Turf Moor with mixed feelings.
They were unable to convert their first-half superiority into three points, but the performance offered plenty of encouragement.
After a difficult trip against a strong opponent, Boro remain in the play-off places and can take confidence from the quality of their football.
The challenge now is to turn performances like this into victories, particularly when they create enough opportunities to take control of matches.
However, this won’t be an easy feat as a very strong QPR side await them at Loftus Road.
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