Boro defender Gibson determined to put his error behind him

The Middlesbrough centre-half committed an uncharacteristic error in the first half at St Andrew’s, with his under-hit back-pass affording Clayton Donaldson a clear run on goal.

Goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos was sent off for bringing down the Blues striker, and while Boro’s spirited second-half performance ensured they left the Midlands with a point, things might have been even better had Gibson not erred.

The 21-year-old defender has been one of Boro’s stand-out performers this season, and while he was quick to apologise to his team-mates during last night’s half-time interval, he has already moved on and relegated it to the back of his mind.

“I would rather not have made the mistake that led to the goal that cost us,” said Gibson. “But it’s something that I will learn from. I’ve got a strong personality, and I am a firm believer that if you don’t make mistakes, you can’t learn from them.

“I haven’t made that mistake before, and I will learn from that and become a better player because of it.”

Boro’s players rallied round Gibson during the half-time interval, and the centre-half was grateful for their support. It would have been easy for him to feel sorry for himself in the second half, but instead he played an integral role in the fight-back that took the Teessiders back to the top of the Championship table.

“I didn’t get enough on the back-pass really,” he admitted. “I let the ball run across my body to try and keep it in play rather than just hoof it out, and obviously I should have dealt with the ball before it bounced. It’s just one of those things.

“I apologised to the lads, but they were amazing. They said a lot of positive things – they said I’d had a great season and it was the first major mistake I’d made this season; they said I’d played a large part in us getting where we are, so I should keep my chin up and forget about it. It’s gone, and it’s no use crying over spilt milk.”