FORGET travel sickness, Middlesbrough have problems at home to address if they want to give their push to stay in the Championship's promotion mix a real boost.

Boro had a couple of second-half chances to beat Ipswich Town, but that would have been harsh on the visitors, who became the third team in four matches this season to leave the Riverside with a point .

Having won all four of their away games, Boro remain in second spot and are undefeated in the league this season after eight matches, a far cry from 12 months ago, when they were 22nd at this stage.

Yet it could have been so much better, and Tony Mowbray, the manager, needs to come up with a way of reproducing his team's stunning form on their travels on Teesside.

There could have been few complaints from Middlesbrough had Ipswich returned to Suffolk with a victory that would have strengthened their own promotion hopes.

The best three chances of the game fell to the Tractor Boys. After Ibrahima Sonko and Michael Chopra had missed golden first-half chances, Middlesbrough had Justin Hoyte to thank for preventing Jason Scotland from doing better midway through the second period.

One of Middlesbrough's biggest problems was that wing-backs Joe Bennett and Hoyte did not provide the attacking verve down the flanks which has become a key factor away from home.

It was no coincidence that when Middlesbrough looked good on Saturday, it tended to be when either of Hoyte - who was more influential - or Bennett - who injured his knee during the game - got close to the byline to cause Ipswich's own full-backs problems.

Mowbray has made no secret of his desire to improve results at home, which ultimately will bring back the stay-away fans.

He also knows, though, he must get the balance right because he will be keen to avoid messing up the impressive start overall.

"We're doing something right.

"If you reverse our away results with our home results you'd think we're having a pretty decent season," said Mowbray.

"At home we have won one of four. Teams set up defensively here quite often. We didn't create enough chances and our quality was a little less than in recent weeks.

"But I'm not criticising the players over that, we set our own standards and we'll reach those heights again soon, I'm sure, starting on Wednesday night."

If Middlesbrough are to start putting things right at home there is no better place to start than against Sven-Goran Eriksson's Leicester.

For that to happen Mowbray needs to improve the service for the strikers after Middlesbrough failed to create many gilt-edge chances against Ipswich.

With the exception of a pretty harmless Barry Robson free-kick from a difficult angle that was comfortably held by former Darlington goalkeeper David Stockdale, it was Ipswich that should have been ahead at the break.

Middlesbrough's defence, as a unit, went missing on two occasions inside 14 first-half minutes.

Firstly, Ibrahima Sonko was left unmarked six yards from goal, but he headed Keith Andrews' centre over.

Then Michael Chopra got in behind Tony McMahon to meet a fantastic cross from former Sunderland man Carlos Edwards. Geordie boy Chopra, however, directed his volley straight at goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, whose thigh saved the day.

There were glimpses of the vibrancy that has been around so often during the unbeaten run which dates back to April.

It was just not there as often as Mowbray would have liked.

"I wanted us to play the way we have and not be too worried about them, even though they have a lot of Premier League quality in there with Jimmy Bullard, Keith Andrews and the like," he said.

Moments after Scott McDonald had turned Sonko and forced Stockdale in to a fine save down to his right, Hoyte was alert to deflect the lively Scotland's effort for a corner after the Ipswich striker went clean through on goal.

Yet still the scoreline remained level.

When Faris Haroun became more prominent in midfield, Middlesbrough suddenly came to life.

Hoyte, who had a shot over the bar earlier in the half, was also involved at the other end in the closing stages. His cross was perfect for McDonald, whose glancing near-post header ended in the side netting.

Mowbray said: "It could have gone either way. I could be sitting here talking about a one-nil loss or a one-nil win, so I'll take the positives.

"That's three clean sheets on the spin in the league and that's not a bad platform to give yourself to try to win matches."

MATCHFACTS

Bookings: Bennett (2, foul); Sonko (26, foul)
Referee: Scott Mathieson (Chester): It was a pretty straightforward game to officiate, even if there were other challenges that deserved a booking after Bennett’s trip. 7
Attendance: 17,741
Entertainment: **

MIDDLESBROUGH (3-5-2)

8 IKEME: Showed some strong handling when it mattered to clear Boro’s lines
6 McMahon: Let Chopra in during the first half but otherwise sound
7 Bates: Held the line together at the back, even if there were a few hairy moments for Boro
6 Williams: Pretty straightforward outing for the Australian, even if he was not as influential as he can be
7 Hoyte: When he pushed forward he was the difference for the home team
7 Bailey: Strong in the challenge and comfortable in possession again
5 Robson: Unable to hit the heights he has reached this season
7 Haroun: Grew in confidence as the game wore on and made some good challenges
5 Bennett: Could have done without an early booking which slowed him down for an hour
7 McDonald: Looked the most likely candidate to score for the Teessiders and will be annoyed he didn’t
5 Emnes: Never looked like adding to his eight goals this season

Subs: Nimely (for Robson 82) Thomson (for Hoyte 82) Subs (not used): Zemmama, McManus, Arca.

IPSWICH TOWN (4-1-3-2): Stockdale 8; Edwards 6, COLLINS 8, Sonko 6, Cresswell 6; Bullard 7; Bowyer 6, Andrews 7, Leadbitter 7; Scotland 7 (Murphy 85), Chopra 5. Subs: Delaney, Emmanuel-Thomas, Lee- Barrett (gk), Ainsley

MAN OF THE MATCH
DANNY Collins – defended in the manner which earned him supporters’ player of the year at Sunderland not too long ago