Middlesbrough 1 West Brom 1: Boro old boy James Morrison nets before Alvaro Negredo equalises as spoils shared

MIDDLESBROUGH and West Brom shared the spoils on a wet night at the Riverside.

The visitors took the lead after just five minutes when Darren Fletcher laid the ball off to former Boro youth team product James Morrison, who lashed it home spectacularly.

But Boro equalised minutes later when Gareth McAuley brought down striker Alvaro Negredo. Referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot, and Negredo scored past Ben Foster.

In torrential rain neither side were able to press home the advantage in the second half as the clubs drew, despite Baggies striker Salomon Rondon hitting the post.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

• Middlesbrough are mourning the passing of Lindy Delapenha, who has died aged 89. Born on the day Charles Lindberg flew across the Atlantic on May 20th, 1927, Delapenha was the first black player to play for the club and the first Jamaican to play in the English league, scoring 93 goals in 270 appearances.
• Given their relegation fight, Boro will have been desperate to avoid a repeat of the last time they faced West Brom at the Riverside. Then Chris Brunt, in the starting line-up again, struck twice in a 5-0 thrashing by the Baggies in a Championship clash.

• Boro boss Aitor Karanka's mood has been as black as the weather in the North East having spectacularly hit out in his pre-match press conference at the club's failure to land his transfer targets for the relegation battle.
• Watford midfielder Adlene Guedioura has, though, appeared to have opted for Boro ahead of city of culture Hull after both clubs had a £4million bid accepted though striker Jordan Rhodes put an end to his Riverside agony by heading to Sheffield Wednesday.

• Boro had failed to score in five of their last eight games, but January signings Patrick Bamford and Rudy Gestede both started on the bench.
• Karanka made two changes to the team beaten 3-1 by West Ham. Injured defenders Calum Chambers and George Friend were  replaced by Antonio Barragan and Fabio with unsettled playmaker Gaston Ramirez not involved.

• Midfielder James Morrison was given a starting slot by West Brom boss Tony Pulis on his return to the club where he started his career - and inevitably it took him just six minutes to fire home.
• With the Baggies showing an unchanged line-up to the team that started the 2-0 win over Sunderland, new signing Jake Livermore will have to wait for his full debut.
• Karanka has also blasted the fans for a lack  of atmosphere at the Riverside which the club tried to lift with disco lights for the players entrance beforehand. There was plenty of support for the team, but it was chairman Steve Gibson getting the shouts from the fans not Karanka.

THE BIG PICTURE

SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

MIDDLESBROUGH: Valdes 6, Barragan 7, Bernardo 6, Gibson 7, Fabio 6, Clayton 6, de Roon 6, Forshaw 6, Traore 7, Stuani 7 (Bamford 6), Negredo 7 (Gestede 6)

Subs not used: Dimi, Ayala, Leadbitter, Fischer, Downing

Goals: Negredo, 17

Yellow cards: Bernardo, Negredo

WEST BROM: Foster 6; Nyom 6, Dawson 7, McAuley 7, Brunt 7; Yacob 6, Fletcher 6; Chadli 6 (McClean 6), Morrison 7, Phillips 6; Rondon 6 (Robson-Kanu 6).

Subs not used: Myhill; Olsson, Livermore, Leko, Field

Goals: Morrison, 6

Yellow cards: Dawson

STAR MAN: ANTONIO BARRAGAN 7

WHAT THEY SAID

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka: "I think it was a good point. We had chances to score and have conceded a goal in a way we knew.

"It is frustrating. West Brom are a strong team and we played with everything. I am proud of the players. As a coach, they have done everything."

West Brom boss Tony Pulis:"It was two teams who were having a right go. We were disappointed with the penalty. We worked hard, we had a couple of good chances at the end.

"To come to cold, wet North East is tough, they're a good side. They gave their manager everything."