Burnley 0-0 Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough's slump continued as they were held to a goalless draw at Burnley but Tony Mowbray's side remain in the play-off places in the Championship. Boro have won just once in the league in 2013 and needed some smart saves from goalkeeper Jason Steele to earn a point at Turf Moor. England Under-21 international Steele saved well from Charlie Austin and Dean Marney in the first half. Substitutes Mustapha Carayol and Curtis Main went close for Boro late on.Burnley, who are now seven points off the top six with a game in hand, saw Steele at full-stretch to turn Austin's first-time effort from the edge of the box behind in a bright start. Marney then saw his near-post header kept out by the alert Steele before Boro finally mounted some pressure after the break. Grant Leadbitter hit a low free-kick wide, Main put a snap-shot wide and Carayol gave Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant his first serious work of the evening in stoppage time with a swerving, dipping long-range strike that was tipped over. Boro are still in sixth place in the table, but are now just two points ahead of Brighton, who have a game in hand.

Crystal Palace 4-1 Middlesbrough

Glenn Murray took his goals tally to 27 for the season with a brace as Crystal Palace maintained their promotion push by brushing aside Middlesbrough, whose midweek win over Leeds proved to be a false dawn. The former Brighton forward opened the scoring early on, but missed two more chances to complete a first-half hat-trick as Palace struggled to make their dominance count. However, just after the interval, Murray set up Peter Ramage to double his side’s advantage before the in-form striker’s spectacular drive and Kevin Phillips’ effort ensured Palace extended their unbeaten league run at Selhurst Park to 15 matches. Faris Haroun netted a late consolation when Boro were three down and the visitors are clinging on to the final npower Championship play-off place after a fifth consecutive away league defeat. Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray said: “We didn’t get started. “If we are looking for reasons, the amount we put in against Leeds in such a physical game (1-0 win on Tuesday) appears to have taken it out of some. “That appears to be the case. But there are no excuses. Individual errors cost us for the goals. “We knew they had talented forward players going forward. But my players are sitting there disappointed. “We lost four goals at Ipswich a few weeks ago. We can’t keep doing that. “We are still in the top six and our ambitions are to remain there. “We are capable of winning matches. We have to get back to our old form, but at the moment that seems a long way away. “Three of our back four are out at the moment, but we have to get on with it. Justin Hoyte, Jonathan Woodgate and Seb Hines are injured and we have to take it on the chin.”

Middlesbrough 1-0 Leeds

Neil Warnock faced calls for his head as Curtis Main claimed a dramatic late winner. Middlesbrough stole the points as Main sent a looping header past Paddy Kenny from Ishmael Miller’s raking cross eight minutes from time to end a five-game winless run. It left Leeds further off the play-off pace after an undeserved defeat – as 2,000 travelling fans left the Elland Road boss in little doubt as to their feelings by chanting ‘Warnock, time to go’. In a dramatic finale, there was still time for Main to earn a second yellow card for time wasting, as sub Habib Habibou forced a stunning last-minute save from Jason Steele to give Boro a vital three points. Warnock’s men must now pick themselves up for Sunday’s FA Cup trip to Man City. Jonathan Woodgate kept Boro on level terms before the break with a cool goal-line clearance to deny Ross McCormack after keeper Jason Steele slipped in his attempt to clear a dangerous throughball. The first 45 mintues was dominated by Warnock’s men and David Norris twice went close. Luke Varney’s shot from 20 yards then had Steele scrambling to his left to cover, as Boro were left to rue an early miss from Rhys Williams. It took Boro 45 minutes to muster a serious threat on goal but Paddy Kenny ensured Leeds were not caught out in first-half stoppage time. Faris Haroun burst through on goal after some great work from Chelsea loan star Josh McEachran but Kenny was out at the striker’s feet in a flash to block. Chances dried up after the break but Leadbitter floated a free-kick inches wide after Williams was upended on the edge of the box as Boro took control in the last 20 minutes. It almost led to a winner - but Leeds escaped. Morison should have won it for Leeds with 14 minutes left but headed straight at keeper Steele.

Middlesbrough 1-2 Watford

Scott McDonald's injury-time goal was not enough for Middlesbrough as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Watford. Czech Republic striker Matej Vydra, signed on loan by Gianfranco Zola from Italian side Udinese in the summer, fired home in time added on at the end of the first half and struck his second in the 83rd minute. Scott McDonald headed home a consolation for Boro in the third minute of stoppage time but it wasn't enough to prevent Tony Mowbray's side from losing for only the second time in their last 10 outings at the Riverside. Defenders Seb Hines and George Friend, midfielders Josh McEachran and Faris Haroun, plus strikers Scott McDonald, Emmanuel Ledesma and Lukas Jutkiewicz all returned to Middlesbrough's starting line-up, and as a result, Boro took time to adjust, despite making all the running. Ledesma's 30-yard effort in the second minute warmed Almunia's hands and Jutkiewicz's shot from inside the penalty area was blocked by Watford defender Joel Ekstrand. Friend then blasted the subsequent corner over the bar. Hines then blazed his shot from six yards off target from Grant Leadbitter's corner as Boro did everything bar score in the opening half an hour. But Watford scored with their first shot on target. Vydra pounced on a loose ball in first-half injury time before firing a drilled left-footed shot into the bottom corner. Reach (twice), Ledesma and Faroun all tried their luck from outside the area, the latter's superbly held by Almunia before Boro boss Mowbray sent on Ishmael Miller for Jutkiewicz in the 69th minute. But Watford doubled their advantage when Vydra steered home his second in the 83rd minute, taking Abdi's cross from the left in his stride to bury another finish into the bottom corner. McDonald headed home Reach's cross in the 93rd minute, but it was a mere consolation.

Woodgate Returns to Middlesbrough

Jonathan Woodgate has completed a return to Middlesbrough after agreeing a three-year deal. Boro have confirmed that the 32-year-old former England international has signed for his hometown club for the second time after making a £7million switch from Real Madrid in 2007. Woodgate was a free agent after his contract at Stoke expired at the end of last month. The defender, who expects to end his career at the Riverside Stadium, told the club's official website: "The pull of helping Boro back in the Premier League is very strong for me, and from what I have seen of the current squad I think it's achievable. " [Manager] Tony Mowbray explained his plans for next season and how he is building a team that wants to get back in the Premier League as soon as possible. "I want to be part of that and if we can achieve promotion in my time here, it will be a fantastic way to end my career."

Middlesbrough Bid £1M for Coentry's Lukas Jutkiewicz

Middlesbrough have made a £1million-plus bid for Lukas Jutkiewicz.Hard-up Sky Blues are already hoping to cash in on Ben Turner, who is wanted by Cardiff, before Wednesday night’s transfer window closes.And it remains to be seen if the club will resist such an offer for their highest-profile striker.The sale of the 22-year-old centre forward would certainly be a hammer blow to manager Andy Thorn, who has been desperately trying to draft in a replacement goal scorer for Marlon King all summer without success, and would leave him next to no time to recruit replacements.Cardiff have been trying to offload Jon ‘The Beast’ Parkin in a cash-plus-player deal – believed to be worth £750,000 – for Turner, although the big target man doesn’t seem to readily fit in with Thorn’s football philosophy.The City boss is also hoping the club shun any advances for Jutkiewicz who is the scorer of the Sky Blues' only two Championship goals so far this season, including the second half equaliser that earned a confidence-boosting point at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.But the forward would surely be keen on a move that would not only see him exchange Coventry’s survival battle for Boro’s promotion drive but earn him a hefty pay rise.Earlier this month, when Burnley expressed an interest, he declared: “It was nice to hear that they had put in an offer."It massages the ego a bit but I’ve been happy enough here and it’s up to Coventry to decide whether they want to sell me or not.“I’m Coventry’s player and they deemed that the bid put in was not acceptable to how they value me.”

Although already aware of his ability, Jutkiewicz will no doubt have caught Tony Mowbray’s eye when the Boro boss ran the rule over Coventry in their 0-0 draw with Watford at the Ricoh last week when the former Everton forward put in a typically industrious performance.

And if he needed further evidence of his ability, that was confirmed on Saturday when he headed home the goal to deny the manager’s side the full three points to take them to the top of the table.

Mowbray sat in front of reporters after the game and was asked if he is trying to do any business in the transfer market before the window closes on Wednesday.

The former Celtic and West Brom manager admitted that he is hoping to strengthen his forward line – where he currently only has seven-goal Marvin Emnes fit – with a couple of strikers, revealing that the club were “well down the line,” on a couple of deals, although there was no hint that Jutkiewicz was one of them.

Match Report: Middlesborough 1 Coventry 1

A Lukas Jutkiewicz header 14 minutes from time rescued a 1-1 draw for Coventry against Middlesbrough at the Riverside.The Sky Blues remain winless this season but will be buoyed by the result against early pacesetters Boro.Marvin Emnes' first-half strike looked enough to give the home side all three points and six consecutive victories for the first time since 1995.Coventry defender Chris Hussey tried to clear but could only divert the ball into the path of the Dutchman, who finished clinically for his seventh goal of the season.But Jutkiewicz levelled when Hussey's dangerous cross landed at the feet of Roy O'Donovan. His shot was parried by Carl Ikeme but the ball fell to Jutkiewicz who headed the rebound in off the underside of the crossbar.Boro substitute Faris Haroun missed a golden chance to score the winner in the final seconds. He rose high and cannoned a header against the crossbar.

Match Report: Barnsley 1 - 3 Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough fought back from an early own goal to snatch a win at Barnsley.Barnsley, still looking for their first win of the campaign, were gifted a fifth-minute lead when Stephen McManus put into his own net.
But Scott McDonald headed home Barry Robson's corner in the 11th minute before the latter tapped home two minutes later.Marvin Emnes, with his sixth goal in four games this season, completed the scoring on the stroke of half-time.Barnsley's first goal of the season came from an unexpected source when David Perkins' cross was stabbed into his own net by McManus under pressure.The visitors responded almost immediately, McDonald rising unmarked to glance home Robson's inswinging corner.McDonald then tore apart the home defence and found Robson who clipped the ball home to put the visitors ahead with 13 minutes on the clock.

Barnsley striker Danny Haynes beat the offside trap as the home side looked to get back on level terms, but his weak effort was kept out by Carl Ikeme.Robson was close to doubling his tally moments later but his curling free-kick drifted just wide.Emnes then added a third for Middlesbrough two minutes before the break when he latched on to McDonald's pass and steered the ball under Luke Steele.
Julio Arca and McDonald were denied by Steele as Boro continued to press after the restart, before Emnes wasted the best chance of the second half when he failed to steal the ball from Steele's feet in a moment of confusion.

Match Report:Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Portsmouth

Debutant Luke Varney grabbed an injury-time equaliser to deny Middlesbrough.Varney struck two minutes into added time to salvage a point after substitute Christian Dailly's initial effort had been blocked.Boro led when Marvin Emnes fired in after good work from Scott McDonald but Pompey levelled after the break through a low 20-yard David Norris shot.Rhys Williams restored the home side's lead with a cool finish but Varney denied them victory on 92 minutes.Summer signing Varney's strike was cruel on a Boro side who created the better chances in the teeming rain but ultimately paid the price for some wasteful finishing.Barry Robson twice went close for Boro before Emnes, who this week signed a new three-year contract, showed great composure to put them ahead when he turned neatly and fired home McDonald's clever cut-back.
Emnes then shot just wide while McDonald, Justin Hoyte and Robson also spurned decent openings.
Pompey did threaten through Hayden Mullins just before the break but his shot sailed over the bar.However, they drew level after the interval when Norris beat Carl Ikeme with a powerful low shot from 20 yards.

Boro hit back when Williams collected a glorious through-ball from Nicky Bailey and finished coolly.

The goal once again led to a spell of home pressure, but the hosts failed to extend their lead and summer signing Varney made them pay.

The draw means Boro have now only won one of their last 11 opening league fixtures - a 2-1 home triumph over Tottenham in August 2008 - while Portsmouth avoided a fourth successive opening-day defeat.