Middlesbrough 1 West Brom 0 - Report and pictures

After weathering a Teesside storm for much of the game and in particular a one-sided first half, the Baggies were undone by a Tony Pulis centre-back at an injury-time set-piece.

Daniel Ayala, who Pulis brought back into the team for this game, capitalised on some dreadful defending from a deep free-kick in the 91st minute to fire home the winner.

Craig Dawson, who had come off the bench with 20 minutes to go and looked solid, jumped under the ball while Ahmed Hegazi and Kyle Bartley clattered into each other, leaving Ayala unmarked.

Before the match, the concern was that Pulis's set-piece specialists would capitalise on Albion's frailties at the back, but for 90 minutes the Baggies repelled every ball into the box.

They had been second best in the first half, when Pulis's back five nullified their attack, but grew into proceedings after the break.

But just when it looked like a first clean sheet of the season was on the cards, Ayala robbed them of the points in the most archetypal Pulis fashion to send Boro top of the table overnight at least.

Darren Moore named an unchanged line-up from the one that demolished QPR, although he gave summer sulker Craig Dawson a place on the bench for the first time this season.

Pulis switched to a system with wing-backs that matched Albion, and in an effort to exploit their weakness at defending set-pieces, he loaded up his backline with goliaths.

In fact, none of his back five were shorter than 6ft 2in, and they loaded the box at every opportunity, be it a long throw, corner, or free-kick.

It took less than a minute for the hardy souls in the away end who had braved the Bank Holiday traffic to tell their former boss what they thought of his football, and it wasn't complimentary.

But it was Pulis's side who started the brighter, and the Baggies were given their first let-off just five minutes in when Jonny Howson's free header in the box hit Britt Assombalonga and bounced inches wide of the post.

It was Boro's turn to breath a sigh of relief soon after though, when Aden Flint inadvertantly crashed the ball into the underside of his own bar attempting to clear a wicked Harvey Barnes cross from the right hand side.

Albion looked most dangerous when they were able to get Barnes on the ball in between back line and their midfield trio.

But that happened rarely and too often Moore's men were forced to go long with useless balls that were being easily gobbled up by Boro's big backline.

The hosts were also winning possession in midfield too easily, and they were starting to apply some pressure when they had a penalty shout correctly waved away after George Friend's cross hit Tosin Adarabioyo's head.

They had a better claim in the 20th minute when Kyle Bartley tugged at Flint's shirt in the box but referee John Brooks didn't see it.

Sam Johnstone saved Stewart Downing's long-range effort soon after and Howson shot wide from distance, as the Baggies repelled corners and long throws into the box.

The hosts were trying to turn the screw, but they were unable to find the back of the net, despite stealing possession with alarming regularity.

Ten minutes before the break, Assombalonga nearly latched on to Howson's clever lay-off after Ahmed Hegazi was outmuscled too easily on the wing.

But Boro's biggest chance of a dominant first half came at the end of it, when Braithwate blazed over the bar from close range after Flint's knock-down.

The second half started in the same vein, with Boro creating, but wasting chances.

Ryan Shotton headed over at the far post after Assombalonga capitalised on an Adarabioyo error before breezing past Hegazi too easily.

Five minutes into the half, the Baggies had their best chance so far, when a swift counter-attack left Phillips and Gayle two-on-one, but the striker shot well over the bar from a decent position.

That miss seemed to jolt the men in electric blue into action, who finally started to pose an attacking threat.

Jake Livermore scooped an effort over the bar soon after before Bartley headed a Barnes free-kick over under pressure from Ayala, and the Albion centre-back was furious it didn't yield a penalty.

Tempers were starting to rise as the tension grew, and both teams started complaining to the ref about grappling in the box.

Rodriguez stung Darren Randolph's palms from 35 yards before Barnes saw a curled effort deflected behind.

That was Barnes's final impact though, because Moore rolled the dice with 20 minutes to go, bringing on James Morrison for the youngster and sending Dawson on for his first appearance of the season.

Dawson received a few boos from the away end following his misdemeanours over summer, and shortly afterwards, Pulis brought on Besic for Downing.

And ten minutes from time, Besic was allowed to run at Dawson after Hegazi lost the ball in his own half but the Baggies crowded out the Everton loanee.

Rodriguez and Gayle nearly combined with a one-two before the Newcastle loanee was replaced by Hal Robson-Kanu with eight minutes to go.

Morrison added some guile to Albion's attack against his former club, as the Baggies looked like finishing strongly.

But then Brunt gave away a free-kick five yards inside his own half and a long raking ball forward was misjudged by Dawson and Hegazi, allowing Ayala to break Albion hearts.

Moore's cultural revolution was undone here by a manager with years of experience winning games like this.

In the end, it went exactly to script.

KEY MOMENTS

09 CROSSBAR! Flint nearly turns the ball into his own net from Barnes's cross

43 Braithwaite blazes over from close range after Flint's knock down.

50 Gayle shoots over after the Baggies counter-attack.

91 GOAL BORO - Ayala capitalises on poor defending to fire in an injury-time winner.

ALBION MAN OF THE MATCH

Jay Rodriguez - Although he only tested Randolph from range, he made several important defensive headers and worked tirelessly throughout.

TEAMS

Middlesbrough (5-3-2): Randolph; Shotton, Ayala, Flint, Fry, Friend (c); Clayton, Howson, Downing (Besic 72); Assombalonga (Hugill 81), Braithwaite (McNair 86).

Unused subs: Dimi, Leadbitter, Fletcher, Wing.

Albion (3-4-1-2): Johnstone; Adarabioyo (Dawson 69), Hegazi, Bartley; Phillips, Brunt (c), Livermore, Gibbs; Barnes (Morrison 69); Rodriguez, Gayle (Robson-Kanu 83).

Unused subs: Myhill, Field, Barry, Burke.

Referee: John Brooks

Attendance: 22,906 (652 away)

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