GARRY MONK has refused to over-react to Middlesbrough’s failure to either of their last two matches at the Riverside Stadium, having had to battle to earn a point against Brentford today.

The Boro boss thinks that there is no need to panic after watching his players fight back to claim a point against the Bees, who took the lead twice.

Brentford were the second team this week to have left Teesside with something, after Norwich’s 1-0 victory on Tuesday.

Brentford took the lead just before the half hour when Yoann Barbet nodded in Ollie Watkins’ delivery. Boro fought back after the restart to level through Martin Braithwaite in the 68th minute, only for Watkins to reclaim the lead four minutes later.

Boro, who have fallen behind in each of their last four matches and sit four behind the play-offs, earned a point when full-back Fabio da Silva arrived to convert at the back post with 14 minutes to go.

Monk said: “The intention of the players is clear, they want to go and do the right things, strangely I sense a bit of anxiety in them.

“It led to certain mistakes with the ball, the goals we conceded were from our own doing. A set piece for the first, probably the first we have conceded from a set piece.

“Credit to them getting back into it again and maybe even nicking a winner again. Perspective though because we have lost one in nine, ‘yes’ we want more, ‘yes’ we want more in the performance, but we have lost one in nine.

“The last international break we talked about needing improvements and they came, this international break we need to look to correct and make further improvements. We need to come out firing like we did last time.

“Our crowd has been great, the players are fully committed, the intention is clear. I can say that honestly. We have spoken about having more confidence, of course we see that and we will work on those things during the break. That’s when we do get the chance to work hard on those.”

Middlesbrough are four points off the play-off zone and now eight adrift of leaders Cardiff City.