The verdict as Middlesbrough come from behind to take a point against Cardiff City

Will Lankshear came off the bench to rescue a point for Middlesbrough as Kim Hellberg’s team tinkering very nearly cost them against Cardiff City.

After the big call to bench the talismanic striker, Boro found themselves 2-0 down at half-time thanks to goals from Jack Moylan and Ollie Tanner.

But with Lankshear and Sebastian Berhalter on at the interval, it inspired a much-improved second half as they got themselves quickly level through Tommy Conway and Lankshear goals.

Even after a red card to Gabriel Osho with seven minutes remaining, however, Boro just couldn’t find a winner, and had to settle for a point.

Hellberg made three changes overall to the side that won at Stoke City in midweek. As well as the big Lankshear call, he stuck with the back three, bringing Riley McGree and Conway back in for Berhalter and Jeremy Sarmiento.

Hellberg’s tinkering did not have the desired impact though. Two down at half time, Boro looked a little toothless without their talismanic striker.

They created plenty of chances, and were largely only denied by some really committed defended. Neto Borges headed narrowly wide early on and Amario Cozier-Duberry had many efforts blocked.

The trouble was, however, the ball wasn’t sticking enough when Boro played through the Cardiff press. The visitors had, as expected, come to play, rather than sit in a low block.

For all their early possession, they weren’t creating much. But Boro were not making it stick, with McGree and Joseph unable to to get a hold of the ball, and Conway not making enough use of the space he was afforded on the left.

Boro’s defending appeared to have drastically improved over the last two games following the break. But, in the end, they went in two behind after two bits of really shoddy defending.

They fell behind from Cardiff’s first chance at goal on 22 minutes. Moylan picked the ball up just outside the corner edge of Boro’s box, with Borges backing off. He drove into the area and skipped easily past a tame Aidan Morris challenge before his low effort beat Radek Vitek far too easily at the near post.

Boro responded well enough but just could not make enough of the openings they did create. The Cardiff defenders produced some big blocks. Then came the suckerpunch just before half-time.

With Moylan leading the Cardiff counter, he slid the ball wide to Tanner, who was faced up by Malanda. The Boro defender looked sluggish as he allowed Tanner to cut inside and unleash a superb striker into the far corner. This time, there was no chance for Vitek.

It’s fair to say Hellberg’s team selection gamble did not pay off. The ultimate acknowledgement of that fact was wasting no time to make the change. Berhalter and Lankshear were on at the interval, Luke Ayling and Joseph the men replaced.

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Lankshear immediately looked to offer a bit more of a presence up top as he went close to getting Boro the early goal they needed. He ran in behind from Callum Brittain’s excellent ball. By the time he caught it, however, the angle was acute, and he smashed wide of the far post.

It set the tone, however and it was only five minutes later that Boro were back in the game. Brittain again excellent on the overlap, received it on the byline and produced an excellent cutback to Conway, as most others dashed towards the goal. Conway had the goal at his mercy to half the deficit.

The half-time changes really paid off. Boro had their equaliser just four minutes later, and of course it was Lankshear.

Scoring his 11th of the season, but his first that came after more than one touch, the star striker received the ball on the edge, set himself and then finished wonderfully with the curled effort into the bottom corner.

Boro’s tails were up and with just under half an hour to go, there was still plenty of time for Boro to go and win it. Cardiff made quick changes to try and halt the momentum.

Through the Boro positivity, they had to be careful though. Vitek had to stand tall and deny Moylan a second, as he beat the offside trap to get in behind the shaky Boro backline.

As much as Boro pushed, Cardiff did a reasonable job of halting that Boro momentum. Into the final ten minutes and Hellberg had introduced Max Arfsten and Myles Peart-Harris to spark some life back into the attack.

The momentum flipped again on 83 minutes as Cardiff went down to ten men. Gabriel Osho received a straight red for a high, reckless challenge on Lankshear right in front of the coach’s technical areas.

Hellberg reacted furiously to it and the two benches ended up needing to be separated as Osho made his way down the tunnel.

In the end, Boro couldn’t make it count and they had to settle for a draw. Despite the comeback, it’s hard to escape the feeling it’s two points dropped.

Hellberg’s tinkering did not pay off against a side who’ve not kept a clean sheet in six months and picked up just their second point on the road of the season.

The unbeaten run stretches to nine, and added to the six points picked up in the previous two games, it’s still a good week for Boro. But with concerns around Boro without Lankshear already, this doesn’t feel like a positive draw.

Boro team: Vitek, Brittain, Phillips, Ayling (Berhalter 46), Malanda, Borges (Sarmiento 89), Morris, McGree (Peart-Harris 79’), Cozier-Duberry (Arfsten 73), Conway, Joseph (Lankshear 46).

Subs not used: Brynn, Byram, Barron, Castledine.