LIVE FROM THE RIVERSIDE

MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Killen 25, O'Neil 36)
BARNSLEY 1 (Colace 65)

THE Reds gave it a real go in the second half but could not find a crucial second goal at the Riverside.

He may have been a very late arrival at Oakwell earlier this afternoon but Manchester City youngster Keiran Trippier was thrust into the spotlight against Middlesbrough as Mark Robins handed the right back his Barnsley debut. Trippier came in to replace Ryan Shotton, who started a four game ban, in an otherwise unchanged side following back-to-back wins against Preston North End and Watford.

It was wet - very wet - as the Reds locked horns with Boro at the Riverside looking to a do a Championship league double over the ex-Premier League side. It was a much changed Boro from the one that faced Barnsley at Oakwell back in late December as Scott McDonald, Chris Killen, Willo Flood, Barry Robson, Stephen McManus, Lee Miller and Kyle Naughton pitched up at the Riverside last month. There was no David Wheater though, with the defender missing the match through injury.

Barnsley had the better of the opening exchanges and Andy Gray did well to feed Emil Hallfredsson on six minutes. The Icelander fizzed over a great cross but Filipe Teixeira just could not get a difficult volley in target from 16 yards.

The Reds were almost caught on the counter on eight minutes as an almighty scramble in the Barnsley area ended with McDonald bringing a fine save from Luke Steele. The Reds were able to clear the danger. Just.

Flood then had Barnsley at sixes and sevens at the back on ten minutes as he fired a fine cross over from the right hand side but Killen just could not apply a finish six yards out.

Hallfredsson was again the Reds best outlet and the Icelander created half a chance on 13 minutes as Anderson rose unmarked to meet his cross on the edge of the area but Danny Coyne was alert enough to prevent the ball creeping in under the bar.

It took 15 minutes but the curse of the referee almost struck Barnsley again when McDonald clearly and blatantly pushed Darren Moore before racing through on goal. Thankfully Steele was able to smother away the danger before it could get much worse.

Barnsley's defence went walkabout on 19 minutes as Killen somehow managed to break through one on one before doing all the hard work right by lobbing the ball over Steele. The Boro striker just had to roll the ball into an empty net but Trippier appeared from nowhere to make a goal-saving clearance right on the line.

Boro made their good spell count on 25 minutes as the Reds struggled to deal with Gary O'Neil's corner and Killen was allowed a free header just six yards out. He didn't miss.

Barnsley had a big shout for a penalty waved away just seconds after the restart as Teixeira tricked his way into the area before seeing his cross strike O'Neil. Nothing was given.

The Reds really should have been level on 32 minutes when Hugo Colace's deep free kick beat everybody to give Moore a header at the back post but the big defender could only plant his effort into the ground and over the bar.

Middlesbrough were given a huge slice of fortune on 35 minutes as O'Neil raced onto the ball from a clearly offside position to face up Steele. The midfielder did not waste his opportunity but looked yards offside.

Barnsley's defending was comical on 43 minutes as a string of misplaced passes deep in the Reds area eventually gave O'Neil the chance to shoot. Steele managed to grab his effort at the second attempt. Excellent play by Naughton caught out Barnsley and gave Killen the chance to net a third on 44 minutes but Steele was able hold his header before it hit the back of the net.

The final chance of the half fell to Gray deep in stoppage time but the striker's shot was never going to trouble Coyne's goal.

Mark Robins changed things at half time as he looked to drag his side back into a game that was quickly slipping away from them. Jay Rodriguez replaced Anderson as the Reds switched to a 4-4-2.

Barnsley really should have pulled one back on 50 minutes as Teixeira sent Rodriguez through down the right. The striker's cross though was agonisingly behind Hallfredsson with the goal gaping.

Adam Hammill was given the chance to make an impact on the game just before the hour mark as the young winger replaced Hallfredsson.

McDonald took advantage of another dubious offside decision to race clear on 65 minutes but the striker could not find the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Colace showed the Boro frontman just how it's done seconds later as he broke onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and rifled a shot past Coyne into the back of the net. It was just a lifeline Barnsley needed.

The Reds really should have been level on 69 minutes when Teixeira's cross beat the entire Boro defence to give Gray a clear header just 12 yards from goal but the striker could only nod straight at Coyne. It was a big chance and the Reds had suddenly found their feet at the Riverside.

With the Reds cheering every decision that went their side's way - and there weren't many - it was inevitable that a dodgy call would see a Barnsley player booked. Carl Dickinson was the man cautioned after a challenge on Flood. O'Neil then quickly followed the Reds full back into the notebook after taking the free kick before the ref was ready.

Robins threw caution to the wind a little on 77 minutes as Iain Hume was called into the action to replace debutant Trippier. There could have been more joy for the Reds on 83 minutes as Hammill broke away clear down the left but his touch let him down when faced with the last defender.

Boro almost capitalised on another dodgy decision as Dickinson was clearly fouled from behind before the home side were allowed to counter attack but McDonald blazed over in the end.

Teixeira forced Coyne into a late save on 88 minutes as the Reds threw everything at Boro in the closing stages. They should have been level a minute later when Hammill tricked his way to cross from the right hand side but Rodriguez got his six-yard header all wrong and completely missed the target with Coyne stranded.

With time ticking away Boro's multi-ball system strangely disappeared. Gray and Hume had half chances deep in stoppage time as the Reds piled on the pressure. At the other end Nathan Doyle did well to clear at the foot of the post under pressure from Flood as Boro looked to counter.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Coyne, Pogatetz, McDonald, Killen (Miller 68), Flood, O'Neil, Robson, McManus, Grounds, Franks, Naughton (Hoyte 90).
Subs: J. Steele, Lita, Bennett, McMahon, Williams.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Trippier (Hume 77), Foster, Moore, Dickinson, Teixeira, Colace, Doyle, Hallfredsson (Hammill 58), Anderson (Rodriguez 45), Gray.
Subs: Preece, Butterfield, Macken, Potter.

REFEREE
Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Richard Clark (Northumberland) and Billy Katib (Tyne & Wear)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Barry Gordon (County Durham)

Match Report By Rob Knowles.

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