Boro suffer surprise defeat after stoppage-time concession

MIDDLESBROUGH suffered a shock defeat at relegation-threatened Bristol City when they suffered a dramatic stoppage-time goal at Ashton Gate.

It was the first time that the Championship pacesetters had conceded a goal since their 3-0 defeat at Hull in December and scuppered the Teessiders’ chances of re-writing the Football League record books.

Boro looked below-par and were punished late on as the Robins pushed Aitor Karanka’s side back and Aden Flint took advantage by glancing in a Bobby Reid corner.

Earlier, Dimi Konstantopoulos had looked an impregnable last line of defence as Boro sought to break the long-standing record of shutouts in the second tier of English football, which was set 111 years ago by Chelsea and equalled by Leeds in 1928.

The former Hartlepool goalkeeper came to his side’s rescue midway through the first half when Derrick Williams sprang Boro’s offside trap with a delicious through-ball to winger Wes Burns who was acrobatically denied by a cracking one-handed save by Konstantopoulos.

That spared his defenders a half-time rollicking after presentable chances came and went early on for Burns and then Kike as both players squandered close-range opportunities following inviting crosses from Joe Bryan and Daniel Ayala.

George Friend and the 1,463 Boro fans massed behind the hosts’ goal were then appealing for a penalty when the left-back’s cross appeared to strike Flint’s hand but referee Carl Boyeson waved away their appeals.

Boro were seeking revenge against the only visiting side to have won at the Riverside in the Championship this season following the sacking of Steve Cotterill but they encountered relegation-threatened opponents invigorated by caretaker manager John Pemberton.

Former City favourite Albert Adomah failed to capitalise on a defensive mix-up by lobbing over an unguarded goal as Boro stepped up their quest for a sixth successive league win but his old club proved dogged opponents and Tesside hearts were in mouths in the 90th minute when the ball thudded against the crossbar following a goalmouth melee before Flint had the final say deep into stoppage time.