Rivals Coventry lost at Luton in the early kick-off but Boro once again failed to take advantage. And with Millwall and Blackburn both winning, Michael Carrick’s side slipped to ninth in the Championship table.
“This is it” said Carrick ahead of this game but once again Boro underperformed, underwhelmed and didn’t play like there was so much at stake.
STORY OF THE GAME
Luton’s last minute winner against Coventry City in the Championship’s early kick-off was celebrated by supporters in the Riverside concourse and you’d imagine the reaction will have been similar in the Boro dressing room.
Once again, the door swung slightly ajar for Boro, who knew a win against a Norwich side that headed for the Riverside rock bottom of the Championship form table, would ensure they’d go into the final day game against their direct rivals in the top six. But rather than barge through that door, Boro tapped at it ever so gently.
Once again, they didn’t play with the intensity or urgency that you’d think would come with the occasion and opportunity.
They had their moments in the first half – Hayden Hackney seeing a shot tipped around the post, Finn Azaz having an effort blocked and Tommy Conway forcing Angus Gunn to save to his right – but on the whole they didn’t do enough to trouble a Norwich side that had conceded 10 goals in three games prior to their trip to the Riverside.
The only difference in the second half was that Norwich started to show more and sensed their opportunity to win the game. They could have done. Sainz fired wide before Mark Travers came to Boro’s rescue, as he has on countless occasions of late.
First, he kept out substitute Liam Gibbs who charged through on-one-one before a superb double save to deny first Sainz and then Josh Sargent.
That at least seemed to spark something of a reaction from Boro and Morris came agonisingly close to the breakthrough when his low shot through a crowd was turned onto the post by Gunn.
But it was Norwich who came closest to finding the winning goal when Sargent broke away down the right and his shot beat Travers but clipped the post and rolled to Boro safety.
Not for the first time of late, Boro ended the game with Dael Fry up-front. There was no late twist. There was a lap of appreciation after the game but the majority of fans didn’t wait around for it.
KEY MOMENT
The key moment should have come shortly before 3pm at Kenilworth Road.
Shandon Baptiste’s 90th minute winner for Luton against Coventry gave Boro a pre-match boost. Or at least it should have done. Instead, they were once again predictable, one-paced and underwhelming. It’s now just one win in five for Boro and, as was the case in the second half at Sheffield Wednesday, you would never have guessed that there was so much at stake for Carrick’s side in this game.
BORO’S BEST
Mark Travers, again, as has been the case on many an occasion since the goalkeeper’s January arrival. In a game of this magnitude, however, and against a side so woefully out of form, Boro won’t have wanted their goalkeeper to be their star man.
It was Travers, though, who ensured Boro at least picked up a point, with the Ireland international making three pivotal second half saves.
Travers been one of the few positives to emerge from the second half of the season for Boro.
TALKING POINT
In game 45 of the Championship season came back four number 22. Carrick has been forced to chop and change his defence throughout the campaign and that was again the case on Saturday, an injury to Rav van den Berg leading to a recall for Dael Fry, his first start since his return.
Fry did well and Jonny Howson was again solid – with fans chanting for the captain to be handed a new contract. He deserves it if he wants it. Even though results haven’t gone Boro’s way in recent weeks, Howson has once again underlined his importance – demonstrated by the fact he’s kept his place in the side even when central defenders have been available.
What a signing, servant and player he’s been for Boro.
WHAT IT MEANS
What it means is that the odds are now stacked against Boro.
Carrick’s side not only need to win at Coventry on the final day but they also now need both Millwall and Blackburn to fail to win.
There’s every chance that will happen considering the Lions head to Burnley, who showed no signs of a lingering hangover after their promotion celebrations with a 5-0 thumping of QPR on Saturday, and Rovers facing Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
But needing to win away from home against a side above you in the table and requiring two results elsewhere to go your way is hardly ideal.
