MARC Bola’s second half strike gave Middlesbrough a great point on the road against promotion favourites Fulham on the opening day of the season.

The left-back passed a late fitness test to start the game and the 23-year-old turned out to be the hero on the day.

Boro were clinging on in the second half after Harry Wilson’s low drive in the first half but Neil Warnock’s side rode their luck at times and found an equaliser from Bola to send the travelling support back up north with smiles on their faces. 

Boro handed debuts to Joe Lumley, Matt Crooks and Uche Ikpeazu while Martin Payero was on the bench for Neil Warnock’s side.

It took Aleksander Mitrovic no less than 30 seconds to commit his first foul of the season after clattering Jonny Howson with an aerial challenge.

The game pressed on and Fulham founded gaps in behind the Boro defence but they were equal to the task with vital blocks and challenges to prevent the cutbacks.

Fulham were nearly the masters of their own downfall when Kenny Tete’s pass back nearly snuck passed keeper Paulo Gazzaniga who was forced to toe the ball behind for a corner.

Boro looked sluggish in the first half and found themselves struggling to cope with Fulham breakaways with the Cottagers finding a lot of joy on both flanks.

Harry Wilson, signed from Liverpool for £12 million in the summer, was the first to test Boro debutant goalkeeper Joe Lumley with a volley on the edge of the box but his breakthrough moment would come on 29 minutes.

After a well worked move down the right, Josh Onamah found Wilson in space in the box. With Marc Bola providing pressure, he managed to carve out space onto his left-foot and drilled through a body of Boro players into the bottom right hand corner.

Within 10 minutes of the half-time interval, Ikpeazu was brandished a yellow card for an aerial challenge on Tim Ream where he caught the Fulham defender with an elbow. It was in the ‘you’ve definitely seen them given as a red’ category.

It was clear that something needed to change for Boro heading into the break if they were to turn their fortunes around in the second half.

Boro made switches ten minutes into the second half with Djed Spence and Marcus Tavernier coming on for the frustrated Ikpeazu and Duncan Watmore.

But Marco Silva’s men carried on in the same vein and the right-hand side was a particular problem that Boro couldn’t cope with. A one-two between Tete and Onomah saw the English midfielder run to the byline, dink a ball into the box for Neeskens Kebano, a man on loan at Boro last season, but his header was straight at Lumley.

Fulham forced the issue further with another cross from the right as Mitrovic headed wide midway through the second half before Kebano had a go from the edge of the box, only to see the ball trickle wide.

Youngster Isaiah Jones was thrown into the mix in an attempt to make something happen for Boro. It was a struggle to muster up any kind of meaningful attack. That was until Tavernier managed to find the space in the final third that Boro were craving.

He drove into the box before his firm shot was blocked falling the way of Bola to the left who prodded the ball to substitute Jones. He squirmed the ball through a number of defenders to find Bola who’d carried on his run. One touch out of his feet and a low drive saw Boro equalise out of nothing.

As the heavens opened up at Craven Cottage, Wilson had a great chance after being threaded through by a Fulham man but Lumley made himself big and stopped the effort near to the edge of his box.

Boro had a brilliant chance to steal the win. Jonny Howson pinched possession and drove on. He found Tavernier to his left who will wished he would have done better as he lashed the ball high and wide of the goal.

For Fulham, it will be a story of missed opportunity for them but for Boro, it’s a point on the road and a gritty performance to match.

BORO XI: Joe Lumley; Anfernee Djiksteel, Grant Hall, Paddy McNair, Marc Bola; Sam Morsy, Paddy McNair, Jonny Howson; Matt Crooks, Duncan Watmore (Djed Spence 56’), Uche Ikpeazu (Marcus Tavernier 56’)

Fulham XI: Paulo Gazzaniga; Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabiayo,  Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Josh Onamah, Tyrese Francios (Ivan Cavaleiro 84’), Harry Wilson, Fabio Carvalho (Aboubakar Kamara 89’), Neeskens Kebano (Bobby Decordova-Reid 76’); Aleksander Mitrovic