MIDDLESBROUGH’S season is beginning to get away from them at a rate of knots having thrown away what looked like a certain victory on the cards last night.

They conceded two goals in four minutes at the Riverside against Preston North End losing 2-1 in Chris Wilder’s second game in charge. It’s one point out of six for the new manager.

At the moment, Boro keep dropping valuable points in needless ways. It’s either a case of not being able to kill teams off or not being able to hold onto a valuable lead.

From winning positions this season, Boro have gone on to drop 16 points in the Championship. That is the difference between promotion and relegation for some team. Also, that is only by the end of November.  

They lead 1-0 against Queens Park Rangers before going on to lose the game 3-2 at the Riverside Stadium. It’s been happy hunting ground for teams who fall behind in the game as Blackpool and Preston inflicted a similar result.

Also, Luton Town came from behind to beat Boro scoring three goals in five second half minutes to kill the game off.

The extra 16 points would have put them level on 40 points with second placed Bournemouth.

Of course there will be games where the lead will get away from them but if you can’t manage to win the game, then don’t lose it. That’s something Boro have struggled to do.

After last night’s defeat to Preston North End, Wilder called into question the attitude of some of his players who didn’t put the game to bed.

He said: “Whether they got carried away with it because of the way they played for 20 minutes.
I want them to play with a certain amount of arrogance and confidence but there has to be something at the end of it.

“Momentum is key which we had first half. We didn't have as much in the second so even if we'd have won it's something I'd have touched upon.

“We went individual. They scored from the set-piece, we have a fabulous opportunity to go back into the lead and from that blocked shot from Tav they yet again counter on us. I can accept the individual mistake, it will happen for us and everybody. But the attitude for that period is something that is not acceptable for me.

“I'm a team man, I'm a team player. I understand players in certain positions have to take risks, I get that, but we had them exactly where we wanted them and all we had to do was keep doing the right things, the things that had got us on top.

“We didn't, you take your foot off the gas, go off plan and a set-piece can hurt you, an individual mistake, and they walk away winning the game.

“I know the coaching staff at Preston and have a lot of respect for them but I'll say it how it is, I think it's a game that we chucked.”

That they did. Results tonight may well extend their six point gap to the play-offs and they travel to promotion chasing Huddersfield Town at the weekend.