Middlesbrough miss chance to boost survival hopes

By Simon Evans MIDDLESBROUGH, England, (Reuters) - MIDDLESBROUGH 0 BURNLEY 0 Middlesbrough missed an opportunity to boost their flagging Premier League survival hopes as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Burnley at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday. The result against the mid-table Lancashire side, who have not won away from home all season, meant Boro were unable to take full advantage of defeats for relegation rivals Hull City and Swansea and remain next to bottom, six points from safety with seven games remaining. "In terms of effort, commitment, energy...I think we deserved the three points and deserved a goal and we live to fight another day," said Middlesbrough manager Steve Agnew, who conceded that the result was a missed opportunity. "Of course it is but I thought it was a game we could have won and should have won. But we are six off it with a game extra to play and all to play for. I'm still positive," he added. Burnley were content to sit deep and wait for their opponents, in more desperate need of points, to over-commit to attack, yet it was the visitors who had the better early chances. Ireland international Robbie Brady clipped the crossbar with a curling free kick in the 14th minute and then George Boyd wasted a good chance when he was found inside the box by Matthew Lowton but hurriedly shot over the bar. Middlesbrough were compact and tidy in midfield but struggled to create real openings in the first half. Forward Rudy Gestede glanced a header well wide in the 28th minute and four minutes before the break Stewart Downing drove the ball across the face of the goal but no team mate was able to finish. Boro manager Agnew brought on Spanish forward Alvaro Negredo in a bid to increase their physical presence in attack and it did not take long for him to make an impact. The former Sevilla striker produced an acrobatic volley in the 67th minute as he met a Downing cross and his fierce shot was superbly saved by Burnley’s England international keeper Tom Heaton. The game had finally opened up and at the other end, Burnley’s Sam Vokes was unable to scramble the ball home in a crowded box after a surging run down the left flank from Ward. Boro piled on some late pressure with Lowton twice forced to clear off his line and then Negredo had an effort ruled out after he was adjudged to have handled the ball before his shot. The home side were also upset that Burnley defender Michael Keane only received a yellow card after he brought down Patrick Bamford when the striker was breaking clear on goal. The Clarets, relegated on both their previous appearances in the Premier League, are in 12th place, eight points away from the relegation zone and manager Sean Dyche was pleased with the point. "Overall its another point on the board and a pleasing one," said Dyche. "I don't think many thought we would get this many points full stop, let alone at this stage," he added. (Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby Davis)