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Hull earn comeback draw against Middlesbrough after costly red card

Hull City's Jarrod Bowen celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game - PA
Hull City's Jarrod Bowen celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game - PA
  • Middlesbrough 2 Hull City 2

Jonathan Woodgate insisted midfielder Marvin Johnson's red card cost Middlesbrough a vital win in their bid to climb away from the Championship relegation zone.

The hosts surrendered a two-goal advantage to make it 10 matches without a victory, the consolation of climbing out of the bottom three on goal difference tempered by the disappointment of squandering two points.

Woodgate's side fell victim to a second-half fight-back inspired by Jarrod Bowen. The Hull forward, who has been watched by Newcastle and Leeds, added to his growing reputation by taking his season's goal tally to 12 by scoring twice in the space of four minutes to force an outcome which ultimately left both sides reflecting on what might have been.

Middlesbrough were good value for their lead, but the contest turned in the 37th minute when Johnson received a red card for a reckless knee-high challenge on Hull skipper Eric Lichaj.

"Marvin's cost us and he knows that," insisted Woodgate, after presiding over the club's worst run of results outside the top flight since 1985. The manager added: "We were absolutely sensational when we had 11 players on the pitch. Then Marvin gets sent off, it's a lack of discipline. You can't expect to stay on the pitch if you tackle like that."

Johnson played a part in his side's eye-catching second goal just before the half-hour, with a pass dummied by Britt Assombalonga for Ashley Fletcher to swap passes with his forward partner before rounding George Long to finish from a narrow angle.

It added to the opener from Marcus Tavernier in the seventh, the young midfielder given time to take a touch before poking home at the far post after Paddy McNair drilled a low centre across the six-yard area from the right.

Hull were a different proposition after Johnson's exit, but even given their numerical advantage for the best part of an hour, they failed to seal their come-back with a third consecutive away victory to leave them with just one win on Teesside in 22 attempts spanning 64 years.

Bowen did his best to improve that statistic, drilling home his first goal with the aid of a deflection off team-mate Tom Eaves from 25 yards, before a close range equaliser in the 75th minute after his initial effort from a Jordy de Wijs headed pass was blocked.

Hull remain in the bottom half, six points shy of the play-offs. Grant McCann, the manager, said: "We started sloppily, but in the end we're disappointed not to win."

Match Details

Middlesbrough (3-5-2): Randolph; Howson, Ayala, Fry; Dijksteel, McNair, Wing, Tavernier, Johnson; Assombalonga, Fletcher (Clayton 46). Substitutes: Wood, Bola, Coulson, O'Neill, Liddle, Pears.

Hull City (4-2-3-1):Long; Lichaj, de Wijs, Burke, Elder (Bowler 59); Stewart, Da Silva Lopes (Batty 59); Bowen, Irvine, Grosicki (Lewis-Potter 90); Eaves. Substitutes: Tafazolli, lngram, Honeyman, Pennington.

Referee: Jeremy Simpson