Middlesbrough have moved to the top of the Championship table courtesy of a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City on Friday night.
Aitor Karanka's side, who have risen one point clear of both second-placed Burnley and third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, should have won a topsy-turvy affair when Daniel Ayala netted 20 minutes from time, but the linesman's flag wrongly chalked it off to leave Boro vulnerable in the race for the Premier League.
It was Middlesbrough that made the brighter start to proceedings and Stewart Downing sent a low strike wide of the home side's post inside eight minutes as Karanka's team threatened to make the breakthrough.
Birmingham were containing the visitors as the 15-minute mark approached and indeed passed, however, with Adam Legzdins untested in the home side's net.
Jordan Rhodes had a wonderful chance to send Middlesbrough ahead in the 25th minute when the ball bobbled to the striker inside the Birmingham box, but Legzdins was on hand to make a smart save.
Moments later, Middlesbrough stopper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos fumbled a Maikel Kieftenbeld strike into the path of Clayton Donaldson, but the Birmingham striker could not convert from close range.
Rhodes then had another opportunity as Middlesbrough broke down the other end, but the former Blackburn Rovers forward once again found Legzdins in impressive form.
Birmingham made the breakthrough in the 33rd minute when Stephen Gleeson's strike from distance found the back of the net after going through the gloves of the away side's goalkeeper.
A disastrous error from Legzdins allowed Middlesbrough to level, however, as the stopper fumbled a free kick from Gaston Ramirez and Rhodes had the simple task of placing his effort into the back of the net from close range five minutes before the break.
Ryan Shotton had a chance to send Birmingham 2-1 ahead early in the second period when he met a deep free kick from Gleeson, but the defender's header dropped just wide of the post.
Down the other end, Middlesbrough had an even better chance, but Rhodes's close-range effort hit the post, before Ramirez hammered over the crossbar after more indecisive goalkeeping from Legzdins.
Ramirez made up for his miss just before the hour, however, when the Uruguayan nodded home from close range after Rhodes had found the midfielder with a header of his own.
Birmingham hit back in the 68th minute though when David Davis found the bottom corner with a half-volley from inside the box.
Middlesbrough had the ball in the back of the net less than two minutes later when Ayala fired home from close range after a cute Rhodes pass, but the linesman's flag ruled it out, despite replays showing that the centre-back was onside.
The home side came close through Diego Fabbrini and David Cotterill in the minutes that followed, but the two teams were level at 2-2 entering the final 10 minutes of action at St Andrew's.
Grant Leadbitter came within inches of scoring a third for the visitors two minutes from time, but the midfielder smashed the crossbar from distance as the two teams finished level following a pulsating night of football. Burnley will host Queens Park Rangers on Monday, while Brighton host Derby County on the same afternoon.
Matt Law
