DANIEL NKRUMAH claimed a stoppage-time equaliser as a largely youthful Middlesbrough side played out an entertaining six-goal draw with League Two Bradford City.

With Rav van den Berg and Jack Hannah forming an extremely inexperienced centre-half pairing, Boro failed to cope with Bradford’s superior physical strength as they fell behind in the second half despite twice having had the lead.

Silvera and Isaiah Jones provided a couple of bright spots for Boro boss Michael Carrick, though, with the former slipping through second-half substitute Nkrumah to claim a 90th-minute leveller.

With less than a fortnight to go until the real business begins, this is the stage of pre-season where time is spent trying to interpret what a manager is planning for the start of the league campaign.

Given that last night’s starting line-up was missing a host of senior players, it was hard to discern too many clues as to Carrick’s thinking, but the presence of Paddy McNair at right-back was perhaps instructive when it comes to assessing who might start in the back four against Millwall.

With Tommy Smith and Anfernee Dijksteel both currently unavailable, Boro need someone to slot in on the right of the backline unless a new signing arrives in the next nine days. Van den Berg replaced Smith from the bench at Chesterfield at the weekend, but the Dutchman’s lack of experience could well count against him when it comes to settling on a team for the opening Championship fixture.

McNair has spent most of his Boro career playing at either centre-half or in central midfield, but he occasionally played as a full-back in his early days on Teesside and hardly looks out of place in the role. As things stand, there has to be a good chance he will be stationed on the right of Dael Fry and Darragh Lenihan in the early weeks of the season.

The Northern Irishman was involved in the slick counter-attacking move that led to Boro’s fifth-minute opener last night, helping to release Jones down the right-hand side. Jones delivered a low cross into the middle, and Silvera was left with the simple task of turning the ball home from close range.

Boro’s lead only lasted seven minutes, with a defensive mistake from the visitors enabling Bradford to equalise. Goalkeeper Tom Glover played a short pass to Jack Stott, who was immediately under pressure facing his own goal. The youngster thought he had been fouled as he gave the ball away, but play was allowed to continue and Andy Cook, who was the leading scorer in League Two last season, was able to roll home.

Boro’s largely youthful defence struggled to deal with Bradford’s superior physicality all evening, although at the other end of the field, Silvera and Jones continued to cause problems from their respective flanks.

Having set up the first goal, Jones also had a major hand in Boro’s second, which arrived just before the half-hour mark. Breaking into the box onto a pass from Gilbert, the winger was bundled over by former Boro midfielder Richie Smallwood. Gilbert stepped up from the spot, and side-footed home his second goal of pre-season.

Boro were unable to hold on to their lead until the interval though, with Bradford equalising for a second time four minutes before the break. Clarke Odour hung up a cross from the left, and Cook outjumped Jack Hannah at the back post to head home via the underside of the crossbar.

The Boro backline struggled to deal with balls delivered towards the six-yard box, and after Cook had gone close to claiming a hat-trick with a header that whistled wide, the Bantams claimed the lead just before the hour mark.

Smallwood floated in a free-kick from the left, and after Odour nodded the ball down, Matty Platt reacted quickest to bundle home from close range.

Boro levelled in stoppage time, though, with academy player Nkrumah slotting home after Silvera played him through the middle.


MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Glover (J Jones 66); McNair, van den Berg, Hannah (Bilongo 82), Coulson; Stott (Cartwright 71), Payero; I Jones, Gilbert, Silvera; Hoppe (Nkrumah 71).