A first half goal from Craig Davies saw Middlesbrough slip to a disappointing opening day defeat to Barnsley at Oakwell.

Davies struck the only goal of the game on the stroke of half time with a low shot after good work from David Perkins and Tomasz Cywka.

And it could have been more had it not been for Jason Steele , who made several brilliant saves to deny Keith Hills’ men.

Boro started brightly with Emanuel Ledesma and Marvin Emnes creating chances, but the Tykes stood firm and slowly got a grip of the game.

Three successive corners followed for Keith Hill’s men and from one the hosts had a penalty appeal waved away when the ball hit Rhys Williams ’ arm. Instead, referee James Adcock signalled for a corner and Boro were off the hook.

Mowbray’s men were very much in the game, though, as some lovely football between Justin Hoyte , Faris Haroun and Emnes teed up Ledesma, but his through ball to the Dutch striker was too long.

Both sides traded chances as the half progressed, but it was the hosts who took the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Tomasz Cywka combined with David Perkins and he fed Davies on the left side of the area leaving the striker to send a low shot past Jason Steele.

From Boro’s point of view, it was a disappointing goal to concede, but in the build-up Rhys Williams had stepped in to midfield after Nicky Bailey had been tripped, which meant George Friend had moved inside to cover leaving Davies in space.

Mowbray might have expected his side to respond to going a goal behind after the break, but that was far from the case and a slow start to the second half forced the Boro boss in to making a triple substitution.

Adam Reach, Andy Halliday and Merouane Zemmama replaced Julio Arca , Friend and Haroun, but still it was the home side that pressed forward.

Steele made a low save to deny Davies before Jacob Mellis’ long-range effort sailed over the crossbar.

The Boro keeper was called in to action again and he pulled off a magnificent finger-tip save to deny Davies’ curling effort. The two seemed to be having their own little battle during the game and Steele again denied the Tykes forward with an outstretched save.

Ledesma squandered a brilliant chance to draw level when Reach’s cross found him that the back post, but the shot was tame and Gonzalez collected the ball with ease.

Justin Hoyte struck a shot from the edge of the area that just bounced wide, before Halliday’s last gasp free header missed the target.

Barnsley: Gonzalez; Wiseman, Foster, Stones, Golbourne; Mellis (Dawson 77), Done (Etuhu 17), Cywka, Perkins; Harewood, Davies Subs (not used): Lidakevicius, Hassell, Collins, Digby, Dagnall.

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): Steele; Hoyte, Williams, Woodgate, Friend (Halliday 60); Haroun (Zemmama 60), Bailey, Leadbitter, Arca (Reach 60); Ledesma, Emnes. Subs (not used): Leutwiler, Hines, L Williams, Smallwood.