IN the end, the drama and the many twists and turns that are inevitable on a final day in the Championship played out elsewhere. For Middlesbrough, Monday was never really about what comes next but who. The answer is Coventry, again.

After a 1-1 draw at the Riverside, Boro and the Sky Blues will go at it twice again over the course of the next nine days. For Michael Carrick’s side, after three games with next to nothing on the line, it gets serious again now.

And so the final game of the season turned into a rehearsal for the main event and a game that will no doubt be poured over by both bosses in the coming six days as they prepare to go at it again.

In terms of this game, Coventry showed their quality in a first half they had the better of and got themselves in front thanks to a fine strike from the impressive Gustavo Hamer but after Boro’s leveller deep in first half stoppage time through Cameron Archer, the home side were the better of the two teams after the break.

In terms of what comes next, Boro still look to have an extra gear to shift into and will hope Paddy McNair and Darragh Lenihan again play like they did here. Apart from the goal, the duo did a good job on Gyokeres, Hamer and co. The semi-final is well set for an intriguing clash between two really good teams.

Who’d have predicted this play-off date when these two sides met in October? Back then, Coventry were winless and bottom and Boro, under Chris Wilder, looked destined for a long, hard season of struggle.

And here were Boro, seven months later, in the stress free position of having fourth place and a play-off spot wrapped up regardless of the final day outcome at the Riverside.

There was no such comfort for Coventry, one of five teams battling for two spots. They needed a point to secure a top six finish but it was clear from the off they had no intention of setting out to play for a draw. They didn’t want to protect their own goal, they wanted to threaten Boro’s.

Hamer had an early shot that was well saved by Steffen, who a couple of minutes later was alert to more danger and raced off his line and beat Gyokeres to a loose ball.

Boro settled and had a decent spell where they looked to take control, but Coventry’s front two were a threat and at the midway point of the first half they linked up to score the opener. Hamer strolled through Boro’s half unchallenged and after a quick one-two with Gyokeres rifled a low strike into the bottom corner.

Coventry’s fans enjoyed a game of keep-ball in first half stoppage time, their away end fun delaying Boro from taking a corner. They’ll have wished they kept hold of the ball a bit longer until the players in sky blue organised themselves, for when Boro finally got round to taking the corner, a well worked set-piece caught the visitors out and Cameron Archer lashed home the equaliser. After all the good work from his side in the opening period, Mark Robins must have been furious.

Buoyed by their leveller, Boro were the sharper and brighter of the two teams early in the second half. News of Sunderland’s opener reached the Riverside. Suddenly, Coventry were in a precarious position and it resulted in a strange feel to the game on Teesside.

The visitors didn’t want to over-commit in search of a winner and risk conceding the second that would have seen them slip out of the top six, but nor did they want to sit back and soak up pressure. Both teams had their moments late on, but couldn't find a winner. Now, they prepare to go at it twice more.