CHRIS Wilder was satisfied with the result on the opening day of the season but is feeling the frustration of what’s been a tough transfer market for the club following Middlesbrough’s 1-1 draw with West Brom.

Boro kicked off their Championship with a solid display against a fellow promotion candidate in the Baggies. Isaiah Jones finished off a well worked move to storm Boro into an early lead in the game before John Swift slammed home from close range in the second half as the visitors worked their way back into the game at the Riverside.

On the display from his thin squad, Wilder said: “I’m delighted. I thought the performance was excellent. The first 15 minutes just after half-time, we opened the door to them and it became a game of basketball and we lost our shape and structure.

“I think the things that have gone off in the week and where we are at compared to where the opposition are is different ball park at the moment but it won’t be and I know it won’t be when the window shuts but unfortunately this is how it is at the moment.

“There shouldn’t have been a West Brom comeback because we should have basically put the game to bed.”

It was a tale of two halves as Boro had exerted their dominance on the game in the first 45 minutes but couldn’t quite maintain the high bar they’d set in the second as Steve Bruce’s side worked their way back into it.

What does Wilder put that down to? He said: “Missed chances and final balls. I would be a touch critical of the players in terms of going for the jugular. We had them on the ropes in the first half.

“They are a decent outfit and have got good players. You’ve seen the team they put out and I thought we made some really good players look really ordinary for 45 minutes.

“There’s an issue for us there maybe dealing with transition and counter attack. Dealing with the pressure they put on us which they had to do because of how much we dominated the first half. You have to give Steve (Bruce) and West Brom the credit. I believed they would be better second half and we just didn’t handle it for ten or fifteen minutes but the goalkeeper made some big saves which he is here to do.

“We then get a foothold in the game and I think any result could have happened last 25 minutes.

“We wanted to go and win the game and we put two forwards on. Duncan (Watmore) has had a bit of an issue through pre-season and Chuba (Akpom) has just come into the group so he was never going to do more than 45-55 minutes. I think he and Duncan gave everything first half but just ran out of gas.”

With Boro pushing for a winner against the Midlands outfit, Wilder was forced to throw new signing Marcus Forss and teenage striker Josh Coburn into the mix. The manager, who has regularly been on record to declare his desire to bring forwards to the club, said their second half substitutions tell it’s own story but admitted that the timing Marcus Tavernier’s impending switch to Bournemouth has naturally caused problems for this side.

He continued: “Marcus (Forss) has just come into the building and we’ve got a 19-year-old kid coming on at the top end of a Championship game. We all know the situation. There is no angst or cleverness regarding it. We’re club that is together from the top right the way down to the supporters.

“What’s happened with Tav going, we’ve worked all pre-season on him being number 8 and Riley (McGree) being 10. It’s difficult for Riley all of a sudden.

“The only thing is we are shuffling around too much. I understand and respect opinions and I think the players, all they need to do is respect and understand my and the coaches opinion.”

But the manager end on a high note as he said: “I thought we were really good for 75% of the game against a really talented side.”