MIDDLESBROUGH’S final home game of the season proved a fittingly depressing occasion as they crashed to a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton.

Having been relegated when they lost at Chelsea on Monday, Boro were unable to rouse themselves for a positive send off in front of their own fans.

Instead, they crashed to their 19th defeat of the season as goals from Jay Rodriguez and Nathan Redmond proved decisive for a Southampton side that also missed a second-half penalty through Shane Long.

Boro clawed a goal back when Patrick Bamford claimed the first goal of his second spell on Teesside, but with a sizeable section of the home fans chanting the name of departed manager Aitor Karanka, this was an acrimonious occasion.

It was also another damaging afternoon for Steve Agnew, who has now picked up just six points from a possible 30 in his ten games since replacing Karanka. It is becoming increasingly hard to see how Steve Gibson can give Agnew the job beyond the end of the season.

Agnew made one change to the side that had lost at Stamford Bridge on Monday, with Patrick Bamford replacing Adama Traore.

Bamford was making his first league start since returning to the Riverside in a £6m move from Chelsea in January, but his impact was negligible.

In truth, the same could be said of the whole of the Boro team, with the home side’s performance underlining why they will be playing in the Championship next season.

They were lethargic and devoid of ideas throughout, with the first half offering nothing in the way of excitement before Southampton unexpectedly broke the deadlock three minutes before the break.

The visitors had been marginally the better team to that point, although it was the 23rd minute before either side fashioned an attempt at goal, and even that barely fitted the description as Ryan Bertrand scuffed a shot well wide.

Bamford side-footed straight at Fraser Forster moments later, and Boro’s only first-half chance worthy of the name saw George Friend head wide at the back post after Adam Forshaw swung over a cross from the left.

Maya Yoshida headed at Brad Guzan after the Boro defence failed to deal with a corner, but just as the opening period looked like petering out goalless, the visitors fashioned a goal of startling beauty.

Jordy Clasie sent Shane Long galloping away on the right-hand side, and when the Irishman crossed into the penalty area, Jay Rodriguez swivelled to fire home a first-time volley.

It was an excellent finish from the striker, although he was aided by some desperate defending, with Calum Chambers especially culpable as failed to close down his opponent.

Rodriguez’s clinical finishing was not matched by Boro’s strikers at the other end of the field, with Bamford’s lack of sharpness becoming glaringly apparent as he fluffed a decent half-chance at the start of the second half.

Alvaro Negredo nodded Chambers’ deep cross into Bamford’s path, but the striker failed to connect properly and the ball looped over the crossbar.

Southampton’s players were much less profligate, and the visitors doubled their lead shortly before the hour mark.

Boro’s defenders were at fault once again, with Fabio da Silva leaving Nathan Redmond completely unmarked in the area as Rodriguez slipped through a pass. Redmond, who terrorised Boro during the play-off final with Norwich City, stepped inside before curling a fine finish into the corner.

Southampton should have moved three ahead seven minutes later, but while Long deservedly won a penalty when Brad Guzan sent him sprawling to the floor, he was unable to convert it as he skied his spot-kick over the crossbar.

The mood amongst the home fans had grown increasingly mutinous by that stage, and a significant number of Boro supporters were chanting for Guzan to be sent off for the foul.

Marten de Roon swivelled and fired over from the corner of the area as Boro tried to fashion a response, and to their credit, the Teessiders clawed a goal back with 17 minutes left.

It was a notable one, with Bamford heading home Viktor Fischer’s corner to claim his first goal for anyone since he last scored for Middlesbrough in April 2015, some 760 days ago. Judging by his frenzied reaction to scoring, it clearly meant a lot to him.

The hosts’ only chance of an equaliser came in the final minute, but while Chambers’ fierce shot was on target, it was easily saved by Fraser Forster.

Middlesbrough (4-3-3): Guzan; Fabio, Chambers, Gibson, Friend; de Roon, Clayton, Forshaw (Leadbitter 60); Bamford, Negredo, Downing (Fischer 60).

Subs (not used): Konstantopoulos (gk), Barragan, Bernardo, Traore, Stuani.

Southampton (4-2-3-1): Forster; Pied, Caceres, Yoshida, Bertrand; Clasie, Romeu; Long (Austin 87), Hojbjerg (Davis 74), Boufal (Redmond 46); Rodriguez.

Subs (not used): Hassen (gk), Stephens, Targett, Ward-Prowse.