Match ends, Burnley 1, Middlesbrough 1.
BurnleyBurnley1MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough1
Michael Keane's injury-time equaliser salvaged Burnley a point against fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough.
Both sides began the match in the top two, and Boro came close in the first half when Albert Adomah hit the bar.
League leaders Boro took the lead when Jordan Rhodes finished from six yards.
The Clarets looked like they would drop out of the Championship automatic promotion spots with Brighton winning, until defender Keane forced home a corner to maintain their top-two place.
Keane's dramatic intervention stretched Sean Dyche's side's unbeaten league run to 20 games, a streak that goes all the way back to Boxing Day, and ended Boro's six-match winning run.
Aitor Karanka's side would have gone four points clear at the top of the table had they held on for victory, after Rhodes had turned home Daniel Ayala's knockdown of Stewart Downing's free-kick midway through the second half.
Boro, whose gap at the top remains at two points, had come the closest to opening to scoring in the first half when Albert Adomah smashed against the crossbar.
The Clarets regularly threatened following Rhodes' goal, with Boro defender Ritchie De Laet having to be on hand to clear George Boyd's strike off the line.
Matt Taylor's free-kick then deflected just wide for the hosts before, two minutes into injury time, his corner caused chaos in the Boro area and was tucked away by Keane.
The Clarets would have dropped a point behind Brighton had they been defeated, with the Seagulls thrashing QPR 4-0, but they remain in the top two on goal difference.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche:
"I'm really pleased with the whole group tonight, for the mentality. That's an important game, you go 1-0 down, that can defuel you. Not for us. We just kept on and on; eventually they cracked.
"[Middlesbrough] are a very good team; they've spent wisely. They've spent it really well, I think that was actually a compliment.
"I've got total respect for every manager. I mean it sincerely. We're all trying to do the job, to be successful."
Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka:
"We had our chances to score the second and the third and with George Friend and Gaston Ramirez's injuries I had to make substitutions. The game was under control for us.
"If you look at the games where we scored against Reading and Bolton, we try to always play football. It's my decision, my style and I am really proud of all of them. When we lose, we lose with our style; when we win, we win with our style.
"I don't know if we are going to get promotion but I'm really proud of all of them. As a coach, you can't be prouder than I am now."
Line-ups
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Heaton
- 2Lowton
- 5Keane
- 6Mee
- 23Ward
- 21BoydSubstituted forTaylorat 84'minutes
- 8MarneyBooked at 25mins
- 13Barton
- 37ArfieldSubstituted forDyerat 75'minutes
- 9Vokes
- 7GraySubstituted forBarnesat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Duff
- 14Jones
- 15Taylor
- 16Dyer
- 17Robinson
- 27Darikwa
- 30Barnes
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Konstantopoulos
- 24Nsue
- 4Ayala
- 6Gibson
- 3FriendSubstituted forde Laetat 54'minutes
- 8ClaytonBooked at 58mins
- 7LeadbitterBooked at 3mins
- 27Adomah
- 21RamírezSubstituted forForshawat 75'minutes
- 19DowningSubstituted forKalasat 90+3'minutes
- 9Rhodes
Substitutes
- 5de Laet
- 10De Pena
- 16de Sart
- 25Agazzi
- 26Kalas
- 34Forshaw
- 35Nugent
- Referee:
- Mike Jones
- Attendance:
- 20,197
Match Stats
Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamMiddlesbrough
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away1
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Burnley 1, Middlesbrough 1.
Post update
Hand ball by Sam Vokes (Burnley).
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Foul by Ashley Barnes (Burnley).
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Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Tomas Kalas replaces Stewart Downing.
Goal!
Goal! Burnley 1, Middlesbrough 1. Michael Keane (Burnley) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Stephen Ward following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Ben Gibson.
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Attempt blocked. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sam Vokes.
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Attempt missed. Matthew Taylor (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
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Ashley Barnes (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough).
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Attempt missed. Dean Marney (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ben Mee with a headed pass following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Grant Leadbitter.
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Attempt blocked. Matthew Taylor (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Sam Vokes (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough).
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Matthew Taylor replaces George Boyd.
Post update
Joey Barton (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Adam Forshaw (Middlesbrough).
