TONY PULIS was delighted to see his Middlesbrough side go “back to basics” as they claimed a 1-0 win at Reading.

The Teessiders climbed back up to fourth position in the Championship table as George Friend’s second-half strike ended a run of five games without a win in all competitions.

Having shipped some uncharacteristically sloppy goals in recent weeks, Boro displayed some of the defensive resolve that had proved so important in the early stages of the season as they claimed their 12th clean sheet of the campaign.

Some supporters might have questioned Pulis’ decision to play with five at the back against a Reading side who had just dismissed their manager, but the Boro boss felt his determination to shore things up at the back was fully justified.

Pulis said: “I think we got away from what we had been a little bit. I think we were so desperately keen to score more goals and create more chances. But we looked more solid today and we created good chances as well.

“I think when things are going well people get too excited, and when things are not going well everybody gets down in the dumps. Win, lose or draw, be happy when you win, smile when you lose because the smoke still goes up the same chimney.”

Friend’s 77th-minute strike settled things, with the full-back sweeping home from inside the area after Paddy McNair crossed from the right.

However, Pulis felt his side should already have been ahead at that stage, claiming Ryan Shotton was onside when his first-half header from George Saville’s free-kick was disallowed.

He said: “The goal was a goal from a set-play. Unfortunately for us, Shots is not offside. He comes deeper than the other two players, so that was a disappointment, and how George has missed that one on the line, when he swings his leg, goodness knows?

“So we've had really, really good play, two wing-backs and one created it for the other one, so it's nice and positive.”

Reading also felt aggrieved at a refereeing decision, with Aden Flint appearing to block Leandro Bacuna’s second-half shot with his arm as he stood inside his own box.

Pulis said: “If he's giving that then that's a real tough one because if a lad smashes the ball from five yards away from you and it hits his hand, then that's a difficult penalty. I think the referee has made a good decision there.”

The only negative from a Boro perspective was the first-half knee injury that forced Shotton from the field.

The defender has not suffered a recurrence of the cruciate ligament that troubled him earlier in the season, and was able to hobble from the pitch. However, he must be a major doubt for Boro’s upcoming home games against Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town.

Pulis said: “We're a little bit concerned about Shotts with his knee, we are just hoping it's a little bit of a knock. There's no swelling there, so we've got to make sure that's fine and we hope it will be okay.”