ON the face of it, this must have looked like it was a pretty dull night for those who weren’t inside the Riverside Stadium to witness Tony Pulis lead his current employers into battle against the club where he was sacked less than a year ago.

Instead, as well as serving up a late 91st minute winner from the fit again and otherwise impressive Daniel Ayala, there were even more positives to take for Middlesbrough from this than what it may have seemed even before the Spaniard’s intervention.

The Northern Echo:

Not only was this the fifth game Middlesbrough have remained unbeaten for at the start of the season, it is now also the fourth match in a row when Pulis’ defensive unit has kept a clean sheet. Not bad considering it has lost Ben Gibson to Burnley for £15m.

Only this time this clean sheet was not only against a team that has hardly lost any players since relegation from the Premier League in May, it was also against an in-form West Brom side that smashed Steve McClaren’s Queens Park Rangers for seven last weekend.

There looked like being some disappointment, of course. Middlesbrough had been edging just a point clear at the top of the Championship, but then Ayala pounced – albeit with a hint of handball that went unpunished – in stoppage-time to hammer in the winner.

Regardless of how Leeds get on over the weekend, next Friday’s meeting between the two at Elland Road is already shaping up to a cracker and Pulis will hope to have an extra player or two on board by then.

Pulis is confident of adding a further signing before next Thursday’s deadline for Football League loans, including a winger to replace the energetic and creative spark that was Adama Traore.

But things are progressing nicely as they are. After coming through a behind-closed-door game in midweek, there was an appearance on the bench for summer signing Jordan Hugill as well as latest recruit Mo Besic, who sent over the cross for Ayala’s winner.

The sight of Ayala starting for the first time this season, though, should fill everyone with more confidence too.

Ayala was forced to miss the majority of pre-season through injury but he performed well enough in that training ground game to suggest to Pulis that he deserved his recall – meaning a back three consisting of centre-backs comfortably over 6ft.

There were a couple of first half scares for the Middlesbrough defence to contend with too, as the Baggies had arrived at the Riverside intent on causing problems. Darren Moore, the West Brom boss, quite often had five blue shirts in the final third for the reds to think about.

With the exception of a Harvey Barnes effort that rolled into the arms of Darren Randolph, the only time the visitors had seriously threatened the Middlesbrough goal in the opening 20 minutes was when Aden Flint almost turned into his own net.

Barnes’ delivery from the right got Flint, an £8m buy who has looked strong since his move, in a muddle and by leading with his wrong leg the ball was directed powerfully against his own bar and it was cleared to safety. Randolph was well and truly beaten.

In between those Middlesbrough had the best of the early efforts. Jonny Howson headed wide from a George Friend cross from the left, while Stewart Downing’s strong left foot drive forced goalkeeper Sam Johnstone into a flying save to his left.

Downing was playing as one of three central midfielders, meaning Lewis Wing was the unfortunate man to miss out following Ayala’s return to fitness and Friend’s switch to the left, and he looked fresh and hungry to shine.

What was a pretty even but pretty promising opening half an hour suddenly slowed down after that, with neither side showing that desire to take command before the break. There was plenty of tidy passing without too much for either keeper to worry about during that period.

That said, Braithwaite should have put Middlesbrough in front with the last chance of the opening period. He had looked bright again in the final third so when he made a mess of a half volley from inside six yards moments before the whistle it was a surprise.

The Danish striker’s run was perfect for him to latch on to a Flint knock down from a Howson delivery, only for the effort to rise over the bar when it looked easier to find the net and miss the target.

Initially after the interval it looked like Middlesbrough meant business and would go onto build on that late chance in the first half. Instead, though, West Brom kept plugging away themselves and could easily have taken the lead through Dwight Gayle.

The former Newcastle striker, who had been linked to Teesside before completing a season long loan switch to the Hawthorns, looked to be clean through when Matt Phillips rolled him in at the end of a swift counter attack.

The presence of Adam Clayton, left with the two West Brom forwards to mark, was enough to put Gayle off and the front-man’s effort was blasted over when he should have tested Randolph at least.

Before that Shotton had headed over at the back post following an excellent run and cross to the byline from Britt Assombalonga, before Braithwaite glanced a Shotton cross towards the left-hand post where Johnstone scurried across to turn behind for a corner.

Even though West Brom, who saw Jay Rodriguez force Randolph into save from 30 yards, didn’t look that likely score, their confidence increased as the game wore on.

And just when it looked as if not even the introduction of Besic, a replacement for the positive but fading Downing, or Hugill could alter that, then the crucial late blow arrived.

Despite a hint of handball, Ayala brought down a deep free-kick delivered towards the back post and then poked the winning goal into the far corner to cap a fine return to action for the Spaniard – and another positive night for Middlesbrough.