TONY PULIS is convinced Middlesbrough have not had the refereeing decisions go for them they have deserved this season, and hopes the tide will turn as he attempts to keep his team in the Championship promotion hunt.

Pulis was satisfied to have seen Boro return to winning ways at home to Bolton on Wednesday night and is looking for that to continue against Swansea on Saturday afternoon.

But the Middlesbrough manager felt that his team could and should have won by more than two goals in midweek because they didn’t have the help of referee David Coote in two big first half calls.

And Pulis thinks that those incidents were merely the latest in a growing list of officials’ calls that have left Middlesbrough disappointed and he is fully expecting a change of fortunes on that front in the matches ahead.

Asked why he was critical of his players being wasteful in front of goal against Bolton, Pulis responded with: “I was constructive and not critical, not negative, it’s being constructive and saying we can do better.

“If we concentrate more then we will create and score more goals. I don’t think anyone will deny we deserved to win it, we played exceptionally well in the first half and should have been more than a goal up.

“But there have been decisions made by referees that have been poor for us, there was a penalty we should have had for a foul on Jordan Hugill and Aden Flint’s goal was not offside on Tuesday – there’s two opportunities.

“At Norwich last week when we lost they had a player sent off, then not sent off, then we had a good shout for a penalty not given.

“A week before that we had two definite penalties not given at Leeds. I don’t think we have had anything go for us from officials, which makes our run even better than what it looks.”

But he does not think that Middlesbrough are being unfairly singled out.

He said: “You have runs like this, you can go through a season where all the managers will have a moan. I did list a few because we have, I am not making it up. Hopefully we will have some things go for us over the next weeks and months.

“You have those runs, the Norwich situation was very poor and Mike Dean (the head of the referees) accepted it. That was poor.”

Middlesbrough do not have any fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit of Swansea. Striker Rudy Gestede is available bit is more likely to figure in the Carabao Cup tie at Preston on Tuesday.

Pulis must decide whether to recall Britt Assombalonga after he emerged from the bench to net the second goal in a 2-0 win. He was left out and was mobbed by team-mates, clearly appreciative of the attitude he showed after his introduction.

Pulis said: “I have spoken to him, about the group, it’s a long season, it’s not about the 11 players who should go out, it’ll be about the other players the following week and the next one.

“There’s a good group there, they understand the way I want to run it, the way the club should be run in respect of the team and the squad. They are all very important members.”

If Assombalonga does get the nod to start he will be up against a Swansea team still struggling to come to terms with life in the Championship following relegation and a change of manager, with former Ostersunds boss Graham Potter now in charge.

Pulis said: “Graham did a great job in Scandinavia with not a great deal of resources. It is certainly one out of the box in terms of a name and the fact there were so many they could have turned to. He is making a good fist of it, it’s a club in transition and they have set their stall out in a certain way. Good luck to them.

“Anyone in the Championship can beat anyone in the Championship, it’s that league, if you don’t turn up and have a go then you can’t take anything for granted.

“It’s a relentless league, we will play three games this week, three next week, then an international break. It’s relentless and very difficult. You have to get on with it.”