A CLEARLY frustrated Tony Pulis has challenged his Middlesbrough players to take the attitude they showed in the second half at Bramall Lane into the final four matches of the Championship’s race for a play-off place.

Boro have dropped out of the top six after a below-par first half display proved costly in South Yorkshire where two stunning Lee Evans volleys put Sheffield United on track for a 2-1 victory.

Even though the Blades, now just a point behind Middlesbrough who are two shy of sixth-placed Millwall, were prevented from building on their lead, Boro’s early second half strike from Daniel Ayala wasn’t enough.

Even though Middlesbrough’s spirited performance after half-time, having also lost Grant Leadbitter in the 25th minute for a second bookable offence, restored some pride, the damage had already been done to knock Pulis’ side out of the top six.

It has set up this Saturday’s visit of Bristol City, level on points with Sheffield United, for another intriguing fixture, while Middlesbrough are also still to play Millwall before the end of the season.

Pulis said: “For me, as a manger, if you can’t finish top two you want to be in the play-offs, this is where I want to be.

“I came here to Sheffield United with lots of enthusiasm, looking forward to it, for us to play really well win lose or draw. I was disappointed because we didn’t show first half what we needed to do.

“This is not pressure. We all want to be in these positions. These footballers want to be in this cauldron where everything is fantastic, I don’t want people to be nervous when we do, I want them to grasp it.

“Let’s hope we take this second half performance and we can take into the Saturday‘s game with Bristol City.

“I was pleased with the supporters who came along and there was a lot of them and I think they will be pleased with the commitment in the second half, even if they weren’t in the first half like me.”

Despite being annoyed with Middlesbrough’s tempo in the first half and when they couldn’t handle Sheffield United’s vibrancy, Pulis could not hide his disappointment that referee Darren Bond sent off Leadbitter.

The Middlesbrough skipper had already been carded, what would have been his 12th caution of the season, for a pull on Lee Evans when he then left his foot in on John Fleck less than six minutes later. The red card came out and he will miss the visit of Bristol City.

Pulis said: “I don’t think it’s a sending off. It’s a free-kick. Looking back, in slow motion, the referee hasn’t got the slow motion that we’ve got, the kid’s thrown his hands in the air and rolled around.

“If he does catch him, it’s minimal. He’s just booked Grant, rightly so, for pulling the lad back. I think that’s fine. I’ll have that. But actually knowing another booking takes the kid out of the game … In this country, it’s a game of challenges.

“Referees have got to understand there are going to be times where players make honest challenges and players against them are either quicker or have got better balance and they’re going to give free-kicks away.

“In such a big game, to make that decision was very, very poor. Very disappointing.”

Middlesbrough’s improved second half performance was sparked by Pulis’ decision to make three substitutions at the break, with Britt Assombalonga, Fabio da Silva and Adam Clayton introduced.

Pulis said: “I thought first half we didn’t play with the tempo we need to have. I knew we needed to change and the second half we were fantastic.

“We had chances, opportunities. Jonny Howson has hit two screamers, one I thought was going in. They were completely chalk and cheese halves.

“The three subs came on and gave us energy. Sheffield United we got about them, we sat back first half, we let them dictate the game. It is that game of two halves.

“I just said I am going to make three changes at half-time, this is what I want. I don’t want to be just sat there. I want to have a go, they were very good second half.”