Boro's draw at Birmingham was marred by a controversial offside flag as Daniel Ayala's second-half strike was ruled out
Middlesbrough FC were left cursing their luck after they were held to a controversial 2-2 draw at Birmingham City.
Stephen Gleeson opened the scoring for the Blues, before Jordan Rhodes pounced on a horror mistake by goalkeeper Adam Legzdins to level for Boro.
Gaston Ramirez then handed Aitor Karanka's side the second half advantage, before David Davis smashed home the equaliser.
But the game was to end in controversy, as Daniel Ayala notched a third for Boro moments later - but it was ruled out by the linesman for offside.
TV replays suggested the Spanish defender was clearly onside as he was played in by Rhodes to fire Boro in front.
The result means Boro move one point ahead of Burnley and Brighton, who both have a game-in-hand to be played on Monday.
9 mins - CHANCE - First effort of the game as Gaston Ramirez flicks the ball towards Stewart Downing in a central position, but the winger skews his shot wide of the post.
25 mins - CHANCE - After a long spell of inactivity, Boro carve out a great opportunity as Grant Leadbitter barges through a couple of challenges and the ball falls perfectly to Jordan Rhodes, through on goal, but his low shot is saved by Adam Legzdins.
27 mins - CHANCE - At the other end, Birmingham with a couple of quick-fire attempts as Maikel Kieftenbeld's 25-yard effort is nervously palmed away by Dimi Konstantopoulos, and the rebound falls to Clayton Donaldson - but the Greek stopper thwarts him.
29 mins - CHANCE - It's all come to life at St Andrew's as Boro counter attack and Ramirez slides the ball through for Rhodes inside the area, but Legzdins is out quickly to smother the striker's attempt.
30 mins - CHANCE - The pendulum swings again as Birmingham attack, and David Cotterill tries his luck with a 20-yard drive that is easily held by Konstantopoulos.
33 mins - GOAL - Birmingham lead as Jonathan Grounds' cross from the left is headed out to Stephen Gleeson, 25 yards out, and the midfielder's fierce strike goes through two Boro defenders and sails into the net - with Konstantopoulos unable to keep it out.
36 mins - CHANCE - Almost an immediate response for Boro as Adomah receives the ball at the edge of the box and fires a right-footed shot which is pushed away by Legzdins.
40 mins - GOAL - Boro are level and it's a howler from Birmingham keeper Legzdins as he drops Ramirez's routine free-kick and Rhodes bundles the ball home from close range!
Half time: Birmingham 1 Boro 1
50 mins - CHANCE - Great opening for Birmingham to take the lead as David Cotterill's free-kick from the right is met by Ryan Shotton - but his header is inches wide of the post.
51 mins - CHANCE - Boro somehow don't take the lead as Leadbitter's free-kick is plucked out of the air by Rhodes and his prodded volley comes off the post, before the striker gets in the way of Adomah's rebound - and then Ramirez blazes over!
57 mins - GOAL - Boro are in front as Adomah's dinked cross from the right is headed back across goal by Rhodes at the back post, and Ramirez has the easiest of headers from close range!
68 mins - GOAL - Birmingham are level after an untidy 10 minutes as Paul Caddis' cross from the right was headed out by Daniel Ayala to David Davis - and he smashed home from the edge of the box to level.
69 MINS - DISALLOWED GOAL - Huge controversy as Boro have the ball in the net but it's ruled out for offside - wrongly! Downing's free-kick causes panic and Rhodes rolls the ball to Daniel Ayala, who steers his shot past Legzdins - but it's a shocker of an offside decision.
72 mins - CHANCE - At the other end, Birmingham go close as Cotterill swings a dangerous ball in from the right but former Boro boy Diego Fabbrini heads over from close range.
79 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Fabbrini is replaced by Paul Robinson in Birmingham's first change of the match.
82 mins - CHANCE - Cotterill's fierce free-kick is kept out by Konstantopoulos, and the ball is nervously hacked away.
84 mins - CHANCE - Birmingham on the front foot again as Cotterill's fierce low strike skids off the wet turf and Konstantopoulos can only parry, before Ayala makes a goal-saving intervention to deny Kieftenbeld.
85 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Cristhian Stuani replaces Downing in Boro's first change.
85 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Viv Solomon-Otabor replaces Davis in Birmingham's second change.
87 mins - SUBSTITUTION - David Nugent replaces Rhodes in Boro's final change.
89 mins - CHANCE - Boro come within a whisker of a late goal and it's Leadbitter who smashes a 25-yard piledriver towards goal - and it cannons off the top of the crossbar.
89 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Jonathan Spector replaces Caddis in Birmingham's final change.
Full time: Birmingham 2 Boro 2
Boro: Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, De Laet; Clayton, Leadbitter; Adomah, Ramirez, Downing (Stuani 85); Rhodes (Nugent 87). Subs not used: Agazzi, Kalas, Husband, Forshaw, de Sart.
Birmingham: Legzdins; Caddis (Spector 89), Morrison, Shotton, Grounds; Gleeson, Kieftenbeld; Cotterill, Fabbrini (Robinson 79), Davis (Solomon-Otabor 85); Donaldson. Subs not used: Trueman, Buckley, Lafferty, Vaughan.
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