A NIGHT that started with late arrivals and a delayed kick-off ended with both Middlesbrough and Hull clinging to their very slim hopes of a last minute charge into the Championship play-offs.

After a topsy-turvy entertaining game, a 2-2 draw was fair and in isolation a decent enough result for both sides, who are separated in the Championship table by a single goal.

But both Boro and the Tigers are in must-win territory if they’re to gatecrash the top six, and after Norwich and Coventry both slipped up 24 hours earlier, this was an opportunity for both teams and one point rather than three doesn’t particularly help their cause.

Boro are now unbeaten in eight but the gap to the top six remains six points, with just 12 left to play for. They must surely take maximum points from their last four games if they’re to maintain this late charge.

Problems on the roads around the MKM Stadium on Wednesday night resulted in the late arrival of both sets of players and pushed back kick-off by quarter of an hour.  When the game belatedly got underway, Boro made the perfect start and Emmanuel Latte Lath fired them into the lead after just four minutes. But the defensive solidity that has been key to the recent improvement disappeared and the home side scored twice in 12 minutes to lead at the break. The equaliser was slightly fortunate, Jaden Philogene’s cross catching everyone out and sneaking in at the far post. But the second was an error, the type of which Boro have cut out in recent weeks. Seny Dieng passed it short to Lewis O’Brien who didn’t want it, lost it, and Jean Michael Seri lashed home.

Hull were good value for their lead at the break and should really have kicked on, but Boro clawed their way back into the game and drew level 19 minutes from time when Finn Azaz started and finished a clinical counter.

It’s a credible point but Boro weren’t at their best. Rav van den Berg, back in the side, looked rusty in the first half but improved as the game went on, and Latte Lath – who continued his fine recent form with the opener – lacked support and service from those behind. Matt Clarke was excellent again and Jonny Howson and Lewis O'Brien led the charge after the break.

The frustration for Boro is the fact they left themselves with so much work to do after making such a brilliant start. They were blistering in the early stages, which brought Latte Lath’s opener, a Matt Clarke stepover and oles from the sold-out away end.

With Ryan Giles watching on from the Hull bench, his Boro replacement in the summer Lukas Engel teed up Latte Lath for the opener. There was still plenty of work to be done when the ball landed at the feet of the striker in the box, but he took a touch and fired clinically beneath Ryan Allsop. Up went the volume in the away end.

And Boro looked to go two up. Greenwood had a shot blocked, then Howson, then Clarke’s confidence started a terrific flowing move from back to front. Hull woke up and Omur fired wide but on the back of just one home win in seven games before Boro’s visit, the locals were already making their frustrations known. Luke Ayling was happy to push their buttons. But rather than use their bright start as a platform and kick-on, Boro let Hull back into the game. From quarter of an hour onwards, Carrick’s side were given the runaround.

Boro didn’t help themselves. Jones’ attempted header back to Dieng was pounced on by Jaden Philogene but Ayling intercepted, before Clarke did well to cut out a cross from the left. A cross from the opposite flank moments later was met by Jacob Greaves, but his header was superbly kept out by Dieng, who clawed away to his left.

Boro were living dangerously and the equaliser came just before the half-hour mark, Philogene’s cross from the left evading everyone and curling into the far corner. The former Aston Villa forward was in the mood and he wasn’t the only one. Hull’s fluid forward line was causing problems and Boro needed the half-time whistle – but by the time it came they were behind. And it was a gift, the sort of sloppy and avoidable goal they’ve managed to cut out in recent weeks.  It was shockingly naïve at a time when Boro needed to manage the game and get in at half-time still level.

Ex-Boro loanee Giles was brought off the bench at half-time and a loose pass almost led to a Boro equaliser. Howson’s shot from the edge of the area was spilt by Allsop but bounced off Latte Lath, who wasn’t expecting it, and trickled wide.

Boro had no choice but to attack in an attempt to keep their season alive – which meant for an end to end start to the second half. After almost forcing a leveller, Howson kept Boro in it, making a brilliant block to deny Seri a second, before Engel had a shot charged down at the other end. From the resulting corner, Clarke headed into the hands of Allsop.

Hull appeared somewhat confused, not knowing whether to push to put the game out of sight or protect what they had. In the end, it was indecision that proved costly. When they failed to get a shot away on the edge of the box, Boro won back possession and worked it well from back to front, Azaz teeing up Jones, getting it back and then finding the bottom corner, a clinical finish from a player who’d struggled up to that point.

Now it was Boro looking the more likely winners. Silvera – on for the ineffective Greenwood -  injected pace and Jones forced a save out of Allsop. But neither team could force the winner they needed.