Middlesbrough vs Preston North End. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance25,116.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Preston North End at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday | Mads Frokjaer-Jensen strikes to earn a point for Paul Heckingbottom's Lilywhites after Tommy Conway's opener.
Saturday 14 September 2024 18:40, UK
Mads Frokjaer-Jensen's beautifully cushioned volley earned Preston a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship.
The Danish midfielder pounced two minutes before half-time to cancel out Tommy Conway's opening goal for Boro in the 16th minute.
Chances after the restart were few and far between and neither team could find the vital breakthrough and had to settle for a point.
Michael Carrick handed George Edmundson a start following his deadline day loan move from Ipswich, one of four changes as the Boro boss went in search of a home win having won at Cardiff before the international break.
And they started strongly, pushing forward regularly in search of an early goal.
Before the opener, Boro had a penalty shout waved away when Conway went down after appearing to beat goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to the ball in the area. Replays suggested the decision was about right.
Woodman had also made a strong stop to deny Hayden Hackney following a swift exchange of passes with Finn Azaz, before Middlesbrough were rewarded for a bright start soon after.
Full-back Luke Ayling, starting on the right, curled a perfect pass in behind the back four down his flank. That left Conway with just the goalkeeper to beat and the former Bristol City man hammered a low finish beyond Woodman.
Even though Middlesbrough had the better of the first half, including an Emmanuel Latte Lath volley that flew over, Preston did have their moments.
The Lilywhites, who also made four changes and introduced Josh Bowler for his debut at half-time, had already seen a couple of crosses flash across the six-yard box before they levelled with two minutes remaining of the first half.
Once Boro's Neto Borges had lost out to Jordan Storey in the middle of the pitch, Preston broke forward and Brad Potts' cross was met perfectly by Frokjaer-Jensen's sweet first-time finish.
Latte Lath, who remained on Teesside despite deadline day interest from Ipswich, thought he had put Middlesbrough ahead again soon after half-time. The goal, though, was ruled out for offside when he turned in Borges' low cross from the left.
Carrick introduced Ben Doak, following his loan move from Liverpool on deadline day, with almost 20 minutes remaining but Preston continued to frustrate the hosts and could have scored themselves.
Dan Barlaser forced Woodman into a strong one-handed save from a free-kick after Conway had been brought down by Storey, with the Middlesbrough bench wondering how the Preston man did not receive a second caution.
After Doak had earned a free-kick deep in the Preston half, Matt Clarke headed a Conway header wide but Preston continued to hold firm and frustrate from there on in top leave with a point.
Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick:
"I'm frustrated, we should have won the game. We were in good positions to win the game, we created enough to score more.
"We didn't give a lot away, there were a lot of good things that I think we will benefit from over time. But we want to kill teams off when we get them, push when we are 1-0 up.
"Preston got the goal and it was a different game because they had something to hold on to.
"It's still early. There is a settling in period and I will take the positives. If we keep doing the right things we will be fine.
"Every game we have played we have been the more dominant team in terms of chances created. We try to build the performance and put blocks in place to enable us to win."
Preston's Paul Heckingbottom:
"Boro shaded it in terms of efforts on goal but I was frustrated in the first half because we had good moments in possession but lacked penetrations. Boro's best moments came from our mistakes.
"It was a really poor goal for us to lose. The way we fought back, and defended second half, we are pleased with.
"The response from us to score was good and I was happy to go in 1-1 after the first half performance.
"The second half, when Boro pressed, around our box, I think our defenders, midfielders and Freddie Woodman I'd include in that, we defended well.
"We were still being brave and aggressive, even though we knew we would leave space. That's the way we want to play. I wouldn't have been happy to sit back and defend for the point.
"I expect us to compete against Boro, I enjoy watching them create opportunities, and we limited them."
