BEN GIBSON is convinced Middlesbrough will still make the Championship’s play-off places, by turning in the sort of performances that must improve on their awful run against teams in the top half of the division.

If Boro are to stand a chance of clawing themselves back into a top six spot then they can’t afford any more slip-ups against teams battling for promotion themselves, something they have struggled with this season.

Sheffield United, who defeated the Tesssiders 2-1 on Tuesday night, are the only team in the top ten who Middlesbrough have beaten and that was back in August.

That represents just one win from the 15 games they have played while they have also only collected just two points from sides currently occupying a play-off spot, so things need to improve in the final few weeks of the campaign.

Middlesbrough face eighth-placed Bristol City at the Riverside on Saturday, are at fifth-placed Derby a week later before sixth-placed Millwall head to the North-East on April 28. The season ends at mid-table Ipswich on May 6.

Tony Pulis and his players appreciate promotion will be unlikely if they deliver a repeat performance of the first half failings at Bramall Lane, and the demand is to reproduce the same sort of heart and desire they showed at 2-0 down in the second half with ten men.

Gibson, knowing seventh-placed Middlesbrough are two points behind in-form Millwall, said: “It’s still in our own hands. We are still to play Millwall.

“Now we have to be ready for Saturday with Bristol City, it has never been easy to get out of this league and it has never been easy to get a play-off place, we know that.

“It is going to be tough. We have four games and we believe we can do it no matter what anyone else thinks.”

Middlesbrough will be without Grant Leadbitter through his third suspension of the season against City. Pulis was annoyed with referee Darren Bond’s decision to hand him a second caution inside six minutes for a mistimed tackle on John Fleck.

But there were stark improvements after the restart when Pulis introduced Britt Assombalonga, Fabio da Silva and Adam Clayton at the break. All of them had an impact, particularly Fabio who showed his hunger all over the pitch despite being fielded in a wing-back role.

The Northern Echo:

SET THE TONE: Fabio da SIlva did well after his introduction at Bramall Lane. Pictures: MARK FLETCHER

Gibson said: “If we show what we did in the second half we will still be fine. We are supposed to have big game players, we have an expensively assembled squad, we are all buying into what we are trying to do but this is the environment we are supposed to thrive.

“There’s no excuse, we should get in the play-offs from this position. We still believe that 100 per cent. We know the season hasn’t gone how we want it to, but we have a good chance to get out of this league.

“We are fighting like hell to do that, if we continue in our desire then we will be in there.

“We have shown we are capable of doing that against one of the better teams and with ten men. Why can’t we do that more? We have to make sure we don’t fall below the level we set second half.

“Fabio was on the front foot, he pressed them, their midfield know he pressed them, everyone could squeeze. Fabio set the tone about pressing them.

“The lads who came on were fantastic. That kind of desire and commitment we have to take forward and some have to take a leaf out of Fabio’s book.”

Middlesbrough just couldn’t get to grips with how Sheffield United started the game and were undone by two stunning Lee Evans volleys, the first was the pick and that put the visitors on the back foot inside two minutes.

Gibson said: “We have to look at what we did differently, and take that forward. Every training session, game, you learn more from the negatives and I know the lads are saying why aren’t we starting like that?

“We didn’t start well enough, second half display showed how we should have gone about the game. We looked like the team with the extra man because we had the desire that wasn’t there first half.

“When you are sat in the dressing room at half-time, you think what could the scoreline be? You know you have to give it a go. We got a goal and we were unlucky not to come away with something in the end.

“I don’t know why we were so far off the pace. Their first was a worldy goal, we have to take our hats off to that. Other than that we know we were not good enough. We have to correct that home or away against every team we face. We did at least show some pride.”

BORO V TOP TEN TEAMS

Wolves 1 Middlesbrough 0 L

Middlesbrough 1 Sheffield United 0 W

Aston Villa 0 Middlesbrough 0 D

Fulham 1 Middlesbrough 1 D

Middlesbrough 2 Brentford 2 D

Middlesbrough 0 Cardiff 1 L

Middlesbrough 0 Derby 3 L

Bristol City 2 Middlesbrough 1 L

Millwall 2 Middlesbrough 1 L

Middlesbrough 0 Aston Villa 1 L

Middlesbrough 0 Fulham 1 L

Cardiff 1 Middlesbrough 0 L

Brentford 1 Middlesbrough 1 D

Middlesbrough 1 Wolves 2 L

Sheffield United 2 Middlesbrough 1 L

Middlesbrough ? v ? Bristol City

Derby ? v ? Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough ? v ? Millwall