ALEX BAPTISTE and Damia Abella both made successful comebacks when they had significant parts to play for the Under-21s in Middlesbrough’s 1-1 draw at Leicester City.
Abella came through 74 minutes unscathed on his first outing since suffering a serious knee cruciate ligament injury in September 2014, while Baptiste played the full game as he returned from the broken leg suffered in pre-season.
Both players have been training with the first team but the length of time they played for the Under-21s will be a fillip for head coach Aitor Karanka who spoke over the weekend of the need to have greater defensive options and cover.
It had looked as if Abella and Baptiste would help to keep a clean sheet for the Under-21s only for Leicester to hit an equaliser nine minutes before the end when Joe Dodoo cut inside before drilling a shot low over the line.
Middlesbrough had taken the lead nine minutes before half-time when Tom McAloon got on the end of goalkeeper Joe Fryer’s clearance and applied the crisp finish beyond the keeper.
Boro: Fryer; Damia (Johnson 74), Baptiste, Burn, Kitching, Tinkler, Jones, Morris, Jakupovic, Cooke, McAloon (Chapman 63). Subs: Elsdon, Morelli, James.
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