UNBEATEN runs come to an end sooner or later and going 561 minutes without even conceding a goal is certainly impressive but there is no escaping the fact that Middlesbrough looked nothing like promotion contenders at Carrow Road.

Tony Pulis was quick to place his team’s performance in the ‘one of those days’ category, arguing that the gruelling nature of a 46-game campaign inevitably means quality control is impossible for a second-tier manager.

“You have these moments - it’s the Championship,” he said. “You play so many games and what we have got to do is make sure we bounce back.”

Boro will attempt to do just that on Wednesday when Bolton are the visitors and the pattern of winning at home and seeing what you can pick up away has elevated many a team in the past.

Yet Boro fans left wondering why Pulis’ side had been so passive against hosts with no decent form to their name and no player of outstanding quality to hurt the opposition.

Leeds went to Norfolk before the international break and took the game to City. The result was a comprehensive victory for Marcelo Bielsa’s side; Boro on the other hand seemed content to live up to Canaries manager Daniel Farke’s pre-match assessment that they were ‘basketball players’ who thrived on set-pieces.

Possession was squandered cheaply, Britt Assombalonga was too often far too isolated as the lone frontman and although Ryan Shotton and George Friend did get forward occasionally more often they were forming a five-man defensive barrier that handed Norwich the initiative to buzz around the Boro area.

True, the hosts were mostly limited to pot-shots from distance and it could have been a different story had Middlesbrough converted the only clear chance of the first half, just after the half-hour mark. It fell to Jonny Howson, still fondly remembered by the home fans for previous exploits in yellow and green, but the midfielder, having eluded Christoph Zimmermann, could not beat Tim Krul at his near post.

Krul, who had been at fault for two of Leeds’ three goals, made another good save after the break to deny Martin Braithwaite, the substitute, but by then Boro were behind.

Teemu Pukki was the man who broke the deadlock in the 58th minute to become the first man to beat Darren Randolph in league action since 3.37pm on August 4.

It was no goal of the season contender though with the Finn toe-poking a shot that was deflected in off Shotton.

“There is no excuse for the goal, the defending was bad by George and Dael (Fry) - they have let people play one-twos round them,” Pulis said. “But it was fortuitous as well because the lad actually toe-pokes it - it’s going wide but it hits Shotts on the inside of his right foot and goes in.

“But I don’t want to take anything away from Norwich, they were the better team.”

Pulis was convinced Boro should have been awarded a penalty moments before the goal, when Assombalonga went down under Zimmermann’s challenge. “The lad catches Britt on the thigh,” Pulis explained. “The referee is in a great, great position to see it but doesn’t give it. There were decisions during the game when free-kicks were given for similar incidents and maybe not as bad.”

Andy Davies was the official in question. The Hampshire whistler was actually a replacement as James Linington had initially been put down for the game. Davies must have wished he hadn’t got the call.

He baffled everyone near the end by sending Timm Klose off and then handing the Norwich defender a reprieve following consultation with a linesman. Klose had already been booked and appeared guilty enough of hauling last man Assombalonga down. But the striker had been offside, it eventually emerged, so the decision was transformed into nothing more exciting than an indirect free-kick to City.

That earned more post-match scorn from Pulis, who declared he had never seen anything like it and having flamed the officials and partially excused his players he couldn’t leave Carrow Road quickly enough. It was then left to Farke to deliver a ‘not like Leeds’ assessment of the visitors, who had been pleased with a 0-0 draw at Elland Road at the end of last month.

“They are two different sides with two different philosophies,” the German said. “Leeds play a high-pressing game and also want to have the ball. Middlesbrough are unbelievably disciplined and well-organised and concentrate on set-pieces and good defending. So we were not surprised by Middlesbrough.”

The game also saw George Saville come off the bench for a Boro debut but his arrival, plus the introductions of attackers Braithwaite and Jordan Hugill, did not unduly trouble Norwich and the unbeaten start finally came to an end thanks to Pukki’s third goal of the week, with the Finn also on target for his country in 1-0 wins over Hungary and Estonia.