MIDDLESBROUGH'S unbeaten start to the season continued this afternoon, but a 1-1 draw with Millwall means Tony Mowbray's side have still only recorded one win at the Riverside.

Barry Robson's first-half strike looked to be taking the Teessiders back to the top of the Championship table, but Liam Trotter's second-half header earned Millwall a deserved point.

Scott McDonald hit the woodwork before the Lions scored, but this was another performance in which Boro were resilient rather than spectacular.

Mowbray shuffled his pack by handing first starts of the season to goalkeeper Jason Steele, who replaced the injured Carl Ikeme, and Kevin Thomson, who came into the midfield in place of Faris Haroun.

The Boro boss will have been pleased with his side's early dominance, even if, initially at least, they failed to trouble David Forde in the Millwall goal.

Robson tested the Lions goalkeeper with an early free-kick, but it was to be the 24th minute before the hosts created their second opportunity of the game. Again it fell to Robson, and this time the Scotland international broke the deadlock.

Julio Arca prodded Tony McMahon's right-wing cross into Robson's path, and the midfielder drilled a low 20-yard strike into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Millwall hardly created anything before the break, but Tamika Mkandawire should perhaps have done better with a 29th-minute header that was glanced over the crossbar.

Boro started the second half as they had finished the first, and Scott McDonald came within inches of doubling the home side's lead with a prodded half-volley from a Marvin Emnes cross that rapped against the crossbar.

At that stage, it looked like there was only going to be one winner, but from nowhere, Millwall fashioned an equaliser in the 54th minute.

Brian Howard swung over a corner from the right, and with the Boro defence static, Trotter headed home from close range.

That was the cue for a five-minute spell in which Boro were completely under the cosh, with Matthew Bates blocking a shot from Jay Simpson and Darius Henderson heading over at the back post when he should perhaps have scored.

Boro eventually rallied, with Robson flashing two late long-range strikes narrowly wide, but Millwall were the side carrying the greater threat in the closing stages of the game.

However, the Teessiders almost grabbed a winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Substitute Faris Haroun met Emnes' cross with a glanced header, but the ball rebounded off the right-hand post.

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): Steele; McMahon, Bates, R Williams, Bennett; Robson, Bailey, Thomson (Haroun 64), Arca (Nimley 64); Emnes, McDonald (Martin 84).

Subs (not used): Hoyte, McManus.

MILLWALL (4-4-2): Forde; Barron (Smith 90), Mkandawire, Ward, Robinson; Abdou, Howard, Trotter, Feeney; Agyemang (Simpson 46), Henderson.

Subs (not used): Mildenhall (gk), Henry, N'Guessan.