MARK this one down as a huge missed opportunity for Middlesbrough.

For all head coach Michael Carrick had warned of the dangers of the Boxing Day visit to Rotherham United, after the impressive victory against West Brom a game against the league’s woefully out of form bottom team presented his side with a big chance.

But missed chances - plenty of them - proved costly as Boro failed to make their dominance count, spurned countless opportunities and were undone by a second half fluke. To say Rotherham scored with their only shot on target would be incorrect, for Cohen Bramall’s winner was a cross rather than an effort on goal and it caught everyone inside the New York Stadium by surprise, including Boro goalkeeper Tom Glover.

Before and after that 72nd minute goal, Boro dominated but lacked cutting edge and composure in front of goal. Sam Greenwood was guilty of missing chances, so too Isaiah Jones. Carrick's side had 19 shots on goal. Their best chance should have come from the spot but second half appeals for a stonewall penalty were bafflingly waved away by referee Andrew Kitching.

It’s a hugely frustrating setback for Boro, who were building real momentum on the back of three straight wins last week. And this was a game Championship promotion hopefuls really should be winning.

The most recent of Rotherham’s two wins prior to Boro’s visit had come back on October 25 and they’d lost three on the bounce – including two under new boss Leam Richardson. They had, though, lost only four of their 11 home games. Boro should have made it five.

After the eye-catching attacking display against the Baggies, it was no surprise to see Carrick name an unchanged front four. He did, however, tinker with his backline, bringing Matt Clarke and Alex Bangura into the team in place of Rav van den Berg and Lukas Engel.

Bangura was rarely questioned defensively and took every opportunity in the early stages to get forward. It was the down the left where Boro’s best two chances in the opening 20 minutes were created. Dan Barlaser split the defence of his former side with an inch-perfect pass that was cut back by Greenwood to Jones, who saw his shot blocked. Greenwood then tested home keeper Viktor Johansson with a dipping drive that was tipped over.

The ball was glued to the boot of a man in blue and yellow in the opening half hour, in which all of the game’s six shots on goal came from Boro. Greenwood went closest after fine build-up from Jones and Rogers, the Leeds loanee seeing his shot from the edge of the area crash off the crossbar.

Clarke’s selection was perhaps made with Jordan Hugill in mind. The former Boro striker managed Rotherham’s only shot in the opening period, but it was sliced well wide. The hosts did show slightly more attacking intent just before the break but in committing bodies forward to try and make the most of a long Sean Morrison throw, they left themselves exposed and Jones and Sammy Silvera should have made more of a two-on-one counter opportunity.

No doubt buoyed by their improved finish to the first half, Rotherham saw more of the ball in the opening stages of the second period. Boro soon wrestled back control of possession but lacked cutting edge but the challenge remained the same: could they pick the lock?

Howson played in Silvera who fired just wide, then Bangura hit the deck in the box but referee Kitching waved away the penalty claims, to the amazement and fury of Boro’s players, coaches and fans.

Carrick turned to his bench with 20 minutes to play and Riley McGree replaced Greenwood, who must have exited the pitch wondering how he hadn’t managed to score. After his two first half opportunities he had another glorious chance just before he was replaced but couldn’t pick his spot from eight yards out.

Then came the sucker punch. A rare Rotherham attack down the left didn’t appear too threatening from Boro’s perspective only for Bramall’s hopeful cross to find the net.

The surprise opener sparked some urgency from Boro, who thought they’d levelled from substitute McGree only for Johansson to superbly tip his low strike from the edge of the area on to the post. It was the closest Boro came to an equaliser.