Boro forced to settle for share of spoils as Harry Green’s late penalty miss saved by Warrington keeper

The visitors, who had won five of their last six away games made a dream start, going ahead in the third minute, writes Steve Adamson.

A free-kick from skipper Sean Williams was met by Peter Clarke, whose header forced a terrific reflex save from Boro keeper Ryan Whitley, but from the resulting corner by Williams, Connor Woods flicked the ball past Whitley, despite having his back to goal.

An unchanged Boro fought back, with Luca Colville twice turning sublimely before firing goalwards, his first effort drifting well wide, but from the second, visiting keeper Dan Atherton pulled off a superb diving save as the ball headed towards the bottom right corner.

Lewis Maloney fired a free-kick just over, a shot from Frank Mulhern was blocked by Tom Hannigan, and keeper Atherton raced out to kick clear when Alex Wiles ran onto a through ball from Finlay Barnes.

It was all Boro, as another Maloney free-kick cleared the bar, a Fin Barnes strike was blocked by Evan Gumbs, and an inswinging corner from Lewis Maloney was headed out from under the bar by Clarke. In a rare Town attack, Whitley made a decent save to keep out a shot from Isaac Buckley-Ricketts.

Barnes, Colville, Wiles, Wilson and Alex Purver were all on top form as Boro continued to dominate, and Wiles laid off for Wilson, whose low shot was met by another good save from Atherton.

The equaliser arrived six minutes before the interval, when the excellent Colville sent a fabulous ball forward to Wilson, who burst down the left, cut inside, and slotted past Atherton. Colville then set up Mulhern, who shot straight at the keeper.

The visitors began the second half on top, Woods firing straight at Whitley, then Will Thornton did well to block a powerful shot from Matt McDonald, and a Woods shot was easily dealt with by Whitley. Boro also created chances, with Barnes passing to Maloney shot just wide, then Purver won a crunching tackle and passed forward to Barnes, who was foiled by a last-ditch tackle from Gumbs as he was about to shoot.

It was a terrific game, a Maloney corner dropped to Purver, whose shot was charged down by Wisdom, then Boro had a great chance on 69 minutes as Barnes sent a cross to the back post, but Wiles stabbed wide from the six-yard line.

Warrington then had a good spell, Kieran Weledji rose to head a Williams free-kick clear, and Buckley-Ricketts screwed a shot wide, before they regained the lead with a highly controversial goal on 74 minutes. They were awarded a corner on the left, despite the ball appearing to be touched last by a player in yellow. Williams took the kick, with the ball a yard out of the quadrant, and Clarke powerfully headed home at the back post.

Colville turned and fired goalwards but Wisdom got in a block,

Boro again drew level on 82 minutes when a clearance dropped towards Olly Dyson, who unleashed a fantastic strike from 35 yards and the ball flew into the net past the helpless keeper.

The last few minutes were frenetic and niggly, as both sides looked for a late winner. A Josh Amis shot was saved by the legs of Whitley, while at the other end, Colville had a shot deflected wide and a Thornton strike was blocked by Hannigan.

Boro were awarded a penalty on 87 minutes when Harry Green was bundled over by James Harris, but Atherton dived to his right to push away Green’s spot-kick, and in stoppage time Colville’s pass sent Green through on goal but Hannigan’s tackle saved the day, as an exciting game ended all square.

BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Colville, Maloney (Johnson 75), Thornton(c), Dyson, Purver, Barnes, Mulhern (Hall 53), Wiles, Wilson (Green 70)

WARRINGTON - Atherton, Hannigan, Gumbs, Harris, Woods (Amis 78), Williams(c), McDonald, Eze (Grivosti 46), Buckley-Ricketts, Wisdom (Walker 86), Clarke

REFEREE - Rob Claussen

GOALS - BORO - Cameron Wilson 39, Olly Dyson 82; WARRINGTON - Connor Woods 3, Peter Clarke 74

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 15 (5 on target) WARRINGTON 10 (7 on target)

CORNERS - BORO 7 WARRINGTON 3

OFFSIDES - BORO 3 WARRINGTON 3

YELLOW CARDS - BORO- Alex Purver, Cameron Wilson, Luca Colville, Will Thornton, Cody Johnson; WARRINGTON - Dubem Eze, Andre Wisdom, Evan Gumbs, James Harris, Josh Amis

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Cameron Wilson

ATTENDANCE - 1,648 (99 away)