MIDDLESBROUGH are still looking for their first Championship win of the season, but Michael Carrick was "really encouraged" by the much-improved display against Huddersfield Town.

Boro battled back from behind to pick up a point against the Terriers, with Hayden Hackney blasting a brilliant equaliser just after the hour mark to cancel out Dael Fry's own-goal that handed Neil Warnock's side the lead.

The home side had the chances to win it, with Sammy Silvera missing a glorious opportunity in stoppage time, but despite having to settle for one point rather than picking up all three Carrick took great heart from the display.

"It was really encouraging to be honest," he said.

"It was a really tough game. They're a good team and really make you work for a result. They showed that against Leicester last week. The way they play, they're really effective and tough to play against.

"I thought we did a lot of good things in the game, looked dangerous and created chances and probably, definitely, should have scored more goals. It's kind of the way it's going for us, we're doing some good things and getting punished for things we should maybe do better but now and again you get away with.

"Things just aren't quite dropping as nice as they might do but I'm really encouraged.

"At 1-0 down it can be frustrating, you can get anxious and doubt yourself but I thought the boys were terrific and should have gone on to win the game with the chances and how well they finished the game."

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Carrick was delighted with the way his side coped with falling behind in the second half and picked out several players for praise - including Rav van den Berg, who he thought put in an "incredible" display at right-back.

He said: "It's tough, challenging against Huddersfield, and I thought the boys did really well. It's something I never really doubted, nevertheless it was a new team in many ways today with Rav playing right-back as a 19-year-old, only the third time he's played right-back but you thought he'd have played there for quite some time. I think it was an incredible performance for the situation he was in, he was fantastic.

"Lukas (Engel) coming into the team, Sammy (Silvera) being new and young and in a new league, Manu (Latte Lath) new signing, Morgan (Rogers) new signing. We have a lot to build on. That's the most encouraging thing. I know you can say about getting edgy after 1-0 but I never doubted the boys."

Carrick confirmed that Paddy McNair was missing for Boro after suffering a cut to the head against Coventry City last week.