Town returned to the top of the Championship following a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Portman Road, but missed out on the chance to go three points clear following the defeats suffered by Leicester and Leeds. Emmanuel Latte Lath put the Teessiders ahead in the 20th minute against the run of play before Massimo Luongo levelled against his old side. Jeremy Sarmiento hit the post soon afterwards but Town were unable to find a winning goal and keeper Vaclav Hladky made two late saves to keep the Blues on terms.
Striker Ali Al-Hamadi was handed his full Town debut as Kieran McKenna made six changes from the team which drew 0-0 at home to Watford on Wednesday.
Al-Hamadi came into the XI for Kieffer Moore, who dropped to the bench, with Luke Woolfenden taking over from the injured George Edmundson at the heart of the defence and Axel Tuanzebe for Harry Clarke, who was absent from the 20-man squad, at right-back.
Luongo took over from Jack Taylor, who was among the subs, in the centre of midfield with Sarmiento and Conor Chaplin coming into the three behind Al-Hamadi for Kayden Jackson and Nathan Broadhead, who were on the bench.
For Boro, Sam Silvera replaced Sam Greenwood in a team otherwise unchanged from the 2-2 draw at Hull City in midweek with former Town defender Matt Clarke at the centre of their defence.
The Blues started brightly, dominating the ball in the early stages and created their first opportunity in the sixth minute. Sarmiento reacted quickly to nip in front of a defender on the left and cut the ball back towards Al-Hamadi, but the ball was turned behind just before it reached the striker.
The Blues went even closer from the resultant corner, Leif Davis sending in a low ball to the near post from where Conor Chaplin shot powerfully but over the bar.
Town threatened again in the 10th minute, Omari Hutchinson, playing on the right of the three behind the striker, feeding Sarmiento, who took it on a few paces before hitting a shot straight at Seny Dieng in the visitors’ goal.
Two minutes later, Sarmiento, who was making a terrific start to the match, twisted and turned his way past defenders on the edge of the area on the left before cutting along the 18-yard line to Chaplin, who rather scuffed his effort wide.
The Teessiders threatened for the first time in the 14th minute, Isaiah Jones breaking away down the left past Hutchinson with Tuanzebe upfield, but his cross-shot was batted away by Hladky in the Town goal and Morsy completed the clearance.
But it was still mainly Town and in the 17th minute Morsy exchanged passes with Sarmiento on the left of the area and although the return was overhit, the Ecuadorian was able to cross deep from the byline. The ball reached Chaplin but the forward was unable to find the target while at a stretch.
However, on 20, the Teessiders went in front. Morsy played back to Hladky following a Middlesbrough attack and the keeper failed to get much distance on the ball. Eventually, it was played wide to Luke Ayling on the right and the former Leeds man sent over a cross towards the far post from where Emmanuel Latte Lath rose between two defenders to nod past Hladky and into the net to the keeper’s left.
After a quiet spell after conceding, Town should have levelled in the 28th minute. Cameron Burgess sent Davis away down the left and the Newcastle-born left-back chopped inside his man before cutting into the middle. Chaplin missed it but it reached Hutchinson on the edge of the area at the back of the box from where the on-loan Chelsea forward curled a shot only just over the bar.
The Blues were getting back into their stride and two minutes later had a strong claim for a penalty when Tuanzebe burst down the right and saw his cross cut out by what the Town players claimed was a Boro hand, and they may have had a case.
However, that controversy was soon forgotten with the Blues getting back on terms from the subsequent corner.
Davis whipped the ball over from the right and Luongo, who joined the Blues in January 2022 after leaving Boro without playing a game in half a season on Teesside, showed far more desire than a visitors defender at the far post to kung-fu kick goalwards, the ball striking the bar, the ground, both the bar and the ground again before hitting the roof of the net to send Portman Road wild.
The Australian’s third goal of the season saw the crowd up the volume in the following minutes and the Blues almost went in front on 32.
Sarmiento was played in down the middle by Chaplin and dinked the ball over the advancing Dieng. The ball was creeping towards goal, just outpacing the retreating Boro defenders but struck the post.
Al-Hamadi was first to the rebound and, with Hutchinson screaming for the ball to be played back to him, the Iraqi international tried a back-heeled effort which was blocked.
With Town still dominating, a long spell of Blues possession ended with Luongo stabbing a 38th-minute effort through to Dieng. Two minutes later, Chaplin seized on a loose Middlesbrough pass in their own half and tried to catch Dieng off his line but was off-target with his effort.
The Blues were, however, susceptible to Boro breaks and in the 44th minute Silvera was sent away in space on the left. The Australian international’s cross struck Burgess - on the arm according to the visitors’ vehement appeals - and fell to Latte Lath, free just beyond the penalty spot, but his shot was just palmed behind by Hladky.
Town had another claim for a spot-kick in the first of two minutes of added-on time, Rav van den Berg sliding in on Chaplin and not appearing to win the ball. However, referee Sam Allison showed no interest.
That, aside from a Boro corner which the Blues defended competently, was the last action of an entertaining but, for Town fans, very nervy first half.
The Blues had started very positively and had had chances to go in front before Boro took the lead against the run of play.
Town had a quieter spell after conceding but had regained their earlier impetus by the time Luongo netted what will have been a very sweet goal, not just in the context of the game but given his history with the Teessiders.
Sarmiento really should have put Town in front with his chance and from there Town had been on top, but while leaving space in behind for Boro, who had looked a danger on the counter-attack all half, to break into.
The Blues will feel they might have been awarded two penalties, the late tackle on Chaplin certainly appeared a good shout, while Boro were similarly adamant they should have had one for the handball not long before the whistle.
Town began the second half where they had left off the first but on 50, after Luongo had picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Jones, Silvera was found on the left of the Blues’ box but blazed his shot from an angle well over.
Two minutes later, Finn Azaz cut in from the right and hit a shot straight down Hladky’s throat.
Almost immediately, Town again went close to going in front. Hutchinson brought the ball forward at pace from halfway and took it past Clarke before cutting in. The Jamaica international seemed set to score but somehow the advancing Dieng turned it over with his foot.
On 57, Boro skipper Jonny Howson joined Luongo in the book for pulling back Sarmiento on the left.
The Teessiders dealt with the set piece, putting it out for a throw and ahead of the restart, Town swapped Al-Hamadi and Sarmiento, both of whom had caused the visitors problems, for Moore and Broadhead.
Town’s subs quickly started to make an impact, as they so often have this season. On 63, Morsy played a ball forward for Broadhead spotting his run and the ex-Everton man back-heeled to fellow Wales international Moore, but just sold him short.
The Blues continued to look for a second goal and on 68 thought they’d created an opportunity, Luongo lifting a ball over the Boro backline for Chaplin, who nodded back to Moore. The on-loan AFC Bournemouth man somehow failed to find the target and may have been pleased to see the linesman’s flag had already been raised for offside against Chaplin. Soon after, the Teessiders switched Silvera for Greenwood.
Town weren’t having it all their own way, however, and in the 71st minute, after the Blues had given the ball away in their own half, Greenwood struck a 20-yard effort which Hladky saved away to his right, Tuanzebe picking up the loose ball and Hutchinson showing his skills to win a throw on the right.
In the 75th minute, Broadhead exchanged passes with Chaplin and brought the ball into the box before finding Hutchinson on the right of the area. The loanee struck a shot across Dieng, who again saved.
Town were by now dominant with Boro pinned back in their half. A minute later, Hutchinson cut in from the right and this time Clarke headed his shot over. Ahead of the flag-kick, Town swapped Luongo for Taylor.
Broadhead shot high and wide in the 79th minute with the Blues prodding and probing and continuing to look for openings.
But a minute later, the visitors came very close to going back in front. After Latte Lath had battled with Woolfenden, the ball was played to Jones to the right of penalty box and the former Tooting & Mitcham United man seemed certain to score but Hladky somehow saved down to his left.
Following the resultant corner, the Czech keeper made an even better save. Ayling crossed from the right, Clarke headed towards goal and Hladky somehow was able to turn it over from under the bar.
Boro were looking increasingly dangerous as Town went looking for the winner and on 83 Greenwood lifted a shot over from 20 yards.
A minute later, Hutchinson shot just over from 25 yards, then on 86 Boro swapped Howson for Dan Barlaser.
Dieng saved Morsy’s low 20-yard shot in the 87th minute with Town camped in the Boro half. Chaplin got to the loose ball first but the Blues couldn’t make anything of the situation.
Town made their final two subs in the 89th minute, Dom Ball and Lewis Travis taking over from Tuanzebe and Chaplin.
As the game moved into five additional minutes, Davis sent over a low ball form the left which a Boro defender diverted back to his keeper with the Sir Bobby Robson Stand ambitiously appealing for a back-pass.
In the second minute of of the five, Boro broke away from a Town corner three against two, although with Hutchinson having been fouled. Ayling was found on the edge of the box but he dallied on the ball and the moment was gone.
Soon after, the one-time Yeovil man was booked for time-wasting at a throw-in and on 95 Travis joined him for a foul.
Moments before the whistle, Town won a free-kick a third of the way inside the Boro half, following which Davis looped a cross into Dieng’s hands.
Town are back to the top after another remarkable weekend in the Championship, but with some frustration at the whistle with the game an opportunity missed following the defeats suffered by Leicester and Leeds.
The Blues were the better side throughout but didn’t create enough clear-cut chances to beat Boro, who in the end would have won but for two excellent Hladky saves.
The result puts the Blues a point clear of the Foxes, who still have a game in hand, and two ahead of Leeds with Town now having two weeks without a match due to Coventry’s involvement in the FA Cup semi-final next weekend.
Before then, the Blues, who have only three games remaining, will be looking for favours from West Brom and Southampton - now only six points behind third-placed Leeds with two games in hand - in their matches against Leicester, and the Teessiders when they take on the Whites.
Town’s next opponents are Hull City at the MKM Stadium at 8pm on Saturday 27th April by which time the league table could look very different.
Town: Hladky, Tuanzebe (Ball 89), Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo (Taylor 76), Hutchinson, Chaplin (Travis 89), Sarmiento (Broadhead 59), Al-Hamadi (Moore 59). Unused: Walton, Humphreys, Harness, Jackson.
Middlesbrough: Dieng, Van den Berg, Clarke, Latte Lath, Jones, Ayling, Howson (c) (Barlaser 86), Silvera (Greenwood 69), Azaz, Engel, O’Brien. Unused: Jones, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Bangura, Thomas, McCabe, Finch. Referee: Sam Allison (Wiltshire). Att: 28,771 (Boro: 1,324)