JONATHAN Woodgate was left to rue a glorious missed chance as his shot-shy Middlesbrough side went down at Derby.

It’s eight games without a win for Boro, who sit third bottom in the Championship table. They have scored just 11 times this season, only bottom placed Stoke have scored less.

But an early chance by Britt Assombalonga proved costly for Boro.

The misfiring striker collected a loose pass from Curtis Davies, rounded keeper Kelle Roos, but fired against covering defender Matthew Clarke.

It was their only clear opening of the game, coming after only 77 seconds.

And Woodgate mused: “It’s unbelievable really. It’s a chance, a huge chance. We have got to take it. Fine margins in games, it’s cliché. If we go one up, their fans are on their back. Anyway, we don’t score and get a man sent-off and it’s really difficult then…

“You can say it’s luck, but it’s about putting it in the onion bag isn’t it. Have to put it in the net. It’s like me playing at centre-half, you have to win a header, make a pass. A midfielder has to make a certain pass. You have to put in the net, you have to. You have to take the chances.

“If you look at the chances created, those last four games, not difficult chances, quite easy chances which we have to score.

“We are away from home, the fans aren’t booing, but Derby fans are getting on their backs. We need to start taking them.’’

Boro were beaten by two Tom Lawrence strikes, but were reduced to ten men in the first-half as George Saville was red carded as he went into a tackle on Krystien Bielk.

Woodgate admitted: “I’ve not seen it back yet, I’ll have a look later. That situation, I’ll have to see it back, but the referee made a decision and it’s really hard to get back into it from then.’’