Derby County 1 Middlesbrough 1

THERE is an age-old adage that says, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it’. So while Middlesbrough’s much-changed attacking line-up has generated considerable excitement in the early weeks of the season, the evidence of the opening three league games suggests it is the club’s unaltered defence that will once again be the bedrock of their promotion push.

Last season, Boro boasted the best defensive record in the Championship, and while Johnny Russell’s 88th-minute equaliser might have prevented Aitor Karanka’s side from claiming their third successive Championship clean sheet, there was still much to admire in the resolve that carried the Teessiders to within two minutes of what would have been a notable away victory.

Jack Stephens and the injured Alex Baptiste might have arrived to provide some additional cover, but while he has radically altered his side’s attack, Karanka is clearly keen to stick with the defenders who proved so resolute last term. Last night’s events suggest his faith is more than merited, even if Daniel Ayala’s one mistake of the evening resulted in Russell converting Ryan Shotton’s deep cross.

Leading through Kike’s first-half strike, Boro looked like producing a repeat of March’s iPro Stadium victory despite Derby once again dominating possession, particularly in the second half.

Dimi Konstantopoulos made three crucial saves, Ayala and Ben Gibson combined superbly at the heart of back four, and both Tomas Kalas and George Friend gave absolutely nothing away in the full-back positions.

Derby, who kicked off the campaign as the favourites to win the title, deserve credit for persevering to the end, but Boro’s organisation, commitment and drive was just as commendable. It is just a shame they couldn’t quite see things out.

Last season’s visit to Derby saw Boro’s players soak up more than an hour of pressure before Patrick Bamford broke to claim the only goal of the game.

This time around, events followed a similar pattern in the early stages, only for Kike’s 16th-minute strike to ensure Boro did not have to wait anything like as long for a breakthrough.

Roared on by a raucous home support, Derby began brightly, and the visitors were indebted to Konstantopoulos for a fine sixth-minute intervention that saw him parry Jeff Hendrick’s dangerous low shot from the edge of the area.

However, with Gibson and Ayala oozing authority, and Grant Leadbitter and Adam Clayton combining effectively to contain Derby’s threat from the heart of midfield, the Teessiders quickly gained a foothold of their own.

Even so, there had been little to suggest they were on the verge of taking the lead before Kike displayed his predatory instincts once again to claim his third goal in the space of four days.

Friend did superbly to control a raking long pass on the left-hand touchline, but after cutting infield to the corner of the area, he scuffed his attempt at goal.

The fact the ball ended up close to Kike was fortuitous, but the Spaniard still had to display razor-sharp reflexes to swivel and caress a deft finish into the far corner.

For all that Karanka has spent more than £7m recruiting David Nugent and Cristhian Stuani this summer, Kike will remain the man in possession of a starting spot if he continues to prove as clinical in and around the six-yard box.

He started last season with an explosive burst of five goals from his first ten league and cup games, only to become an increasingly peripheral figure in the second half of the campaign, and came within inches of claiming a second last night within three minutes of opening the scoring.

Pulling to the back post to meet a cross from Stewart Downing, who remained in a left-wing role with Diego Fabbrini playing in the ‘number ten’ spot, Kike angled a header back across goal but narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.

The opportunity underlined the extent of Boro’s threat on the break, and while Derby had spells where they dominated possession, the hosts were regularly troubled by Albert Adomah’s pace on the right-hand side and Fabbrini’s dribbling ability as he dropped into the pocket of space between the Rams’ midfield and defence.

Chris Martin headed over at the other end after Stephen Warnock delivered a teasing cross into the box, but aside from an excellent challenge from the fit-again Gibson that denied Martin a shooting opportunity, the Teessiders’ back four were rarely extended until Konstantopoulos was forced into his second excellent save of the night in first-half stoppage time.

Tom Ince’s curled free-kick was heading into the corner before Boro’s Greek goalkeeper flung himself to his right to claw the ball to safety.

Gibson’s return to action following a hamstring injury was a key factor in the visitors’ defensive solidity, with the England Under-21 international making two important second-half interventions to prevent Derby’s attackers from stealing behind the Boro back four.

The hosts dominated possession after the interval but, for the most part, Hendrick and Russell struggled to find space and neither Ince nor Andreas Weimann were able to get the better of their opposing full-back.

As a result, Boro suffered precious few scares, and Adomah almost gave his side the comfort of a two-goal lead when he charged downfield shortly before the hour mark, only to roll a 22-yard shot narrowly wide of the post.

Konstantopoulos saved from Martin with eight minutes left, but he was powerless to prevent Russell claiming a late leveller. Substitute Darren Bent beat Ayala to flick on Ryan Shotton’s right-wing cross, and Russell found himself in sufficient space at the back post to drill home a powerful low strike.