MIDDLESBROUGH brought their preparations for the coming Championship season to a close with a stirring late comeback to salvage a draw against Auxerre.
Boro looked destined for defeat against their French visitors at the Riverside but a 90th minute strike from Hayden Hackney gave Michael Carrick’s side some hope before Morgan Rogers scored his first goal for the club with the last kick of the game to level at 2-2.
In fairness, it was a result Boro deserved. While by no means at their best, Boro created more opportunities than the visitors. And Carrick will no doubt take heart from the spirit shown by his players to fight back in a game in which nothing was on the line, though the head coach wasn't best pleased with the display on the whole.
There were a couple of glaring Boro issues apparent against Auxerre but nothing that wasn’t known before the game. The hosts lacked cutting edge until the late show but considering they were again without last season’s top scorer and played without a recognised striker, that is to be expected.
And the lack of cover at left-back was highlighted when Riley McGree had to slot into that role for the second half after Hayden Coulson was replaced.
Both areas will be addressed before the transfer deadline.
When the team news dropped at 2pm, the starting XI appeared to give a strong indication of what Boro’s team would look like when Millwall visit the Riverside for the Championship opener next Saturday.
What’s not clear is whether anything that Carrick saw in the 90 minutes that followed will have changed his mind.
With key players to come back and with Boro looking to bring in at least three more signings, Carrick’s hand is forced in several positions as things stand.
Paddy McNair, for example, looks nailed on to start at right-back in the absence of Tommy Smith and Anfernee Dijksteel.
With Jonny Howson still missing, Hayden Hackney and Dan Barlaser were again paired in midfield. And in the continued absence of Akpom, Matt Crooks played as the No.10, off summer recruit Morgan Rogers who again led the line. Signing at least one striker is an obvious Boro priority but Carrick does have options ahead of Millwall. Isaiah Jones and Sammy Silvera both came off the bench against Auxerre, Rogers can play deeper, Crooks and Forss can both lead the line.
What’s not in doubt is that next week’s Championship opener will be played at a much higher tempo than this final friendly of the summer.
Auxerre, themselves planning for a promotion push this season after suffering relegation from the French top flight last term, didn’t really threaten Seny Dieng’s goal until they were gifted the opener six minutes before the break.
Boro created chances before and after falling behind. By his own admission, Rogers needs to improve his finishing but he's been bright since his arrival from Manchester City, particularly considering he’s played most of his football in a Boro shirt so far in a position he wouldn’t deem his best. He almost created the first chance of the game on 10 minutes when he used his strength to carve out an opening but saw his cut-back for Crooks intercepted.
Boro’s best chance of the opening period fell to Barlaser inside the first quarter of an hour. Teed up by Crooks in the box, the midfielder dropped a shoulder to create a yard for himself but was denied by the strong hand of visiting keeper Donovan Leon.
Barlaser and Hackney were again tidy but it was the former who gifted Auxerre an opportunity when he cheaply conceded possession just outside the Boro box on 39 minutes. Hackney tried to come to rescue of his midfield partner but sent Lassine Sinayoko to the deck, Gatean Perrin making no mistake from the spot, sending Dieng the wrong way.
Dieng hadn’t had a save to make before then but displayed the qualities with his feet that appealed to Carrick. At one stage in the opening period he was out at the midway point of the Boro half in possession of the ball, in front of the two centre-halves.
With Ryan Giles having this week completed his move to Luton and Boro yet to sign a left-back, Coulson again had the chance to impress. He was only denied a goal by a fine Leon save as Boro almost hit back immediately after falling behind.
It would be Coulson’s final act, the 25-year-old replaced at the break by Silvera, with McGree dropping into left-back.
McGree still got forward at every opportunity and laid on a good chance for Rogers, who miskicked his first effort and then blazed over when he got a second crack. At the other end, Auxerre captain Owusu fired just over after a well worked corner.
Carrick made a string of further changes, with van den Berg, Jones and Payero all introduced. Auxerre broke to score their second goal nine minutes from time. Dieng initially made a good save but Ousmane Camara turned it in at the second time of asking after a Nicolas Mercier cut-back.
That looked to be that but Boro didn’t give up. Hackney scored the first in the 90th minute with a deflected strike that looped into the net before Rogers prodded home the equaliser from close range after McGree's initial effort had been saved.
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