Middlesbrough 1 Peterborough United 0: Strachan suspects Boro display was affected by complacency

The play-off hopefuls got off to a bright start and seized control with a seventh-minute strike by Barry Robson.

But they failed to press home that early advantage and as the jitters set in they survived stoppage-time scares in both halves to cling on and extend their unbeaten run to six games.

"There's some people who will say that's a good three points or that it makes two home wins and they are right, that's good," said Strachan. "But the standard of football wasn't what we wanted or what we expect.

"I don't know why that was. Maybe it was a lack of footballing knowledge, maybe it was a lack of respect for the other side, maybe it was people thinking it was all too easy when they go a goal up.

"But it wasn't great and, no, I wasn't happy. We have to thank the lads in the middle and the centre-backs in the last 15 minutes for keeping us in the game.

"We've played far better than that here and got nothing so maybe we've got the rub of the green – and the biggest break of the game came at the end when David Wheater made a brave block.

"Maybe we were a bit tired at the end but that is what happens if you give the ball away so much; you end up chasing around and running more to get it back."

Peterborough manager Jim Gannon insisted his side had deserved a point.

"We got into some threatening positions but perhaps we could have worked their keeper more and maybe we lack a physical presence up front," he said.

Boro took the lead on seven minutes as Jonathan Franks burst down the left and skipped over the challenge of Charlie Lee to get to the byline. He cut it back for stand-in captain Robson to rifle a low 15-yard drive just inside the right-hand upright.

Boro had chances to stretch their lead. Lee Miller had two opportunities and Willo Flood had a shot well saved. But Peterborough almost equalised on the stroke of half-time as a half-cleared corner fell to Lee Frecklington on the edge of the box and he sent in a sizzling shot that Danny Coyne saved.

In stoppage time in the second half the visitors nearly grabbed a late goal that would have shared the points.

A free-kick sparked a furious scramble in the box and the ball fell to substitute defender Josh Smith six yards out but his goalbound shot hit Wheater and squirted wide of the post.

From the resulting corner Coyne had to be out quickly to prevent Craig Mackail-Smith connecting with a flick-on.

Middlesbrough: Coyne, Bennett, Wheater, McManus, Naughton, Flood, Robson, Walker (Hoyte 59), Franks, McDonald (Lita 76), Miller (Aliadiere 56). Unused substitutes: Steele, Taylor, Grounds, Luke Williams.

Peterborough: Lewis, Bennett, Morgan, Williams (Simpson 53), Whelpdale, Livermore, Frecklington, Lee (Reid 53), Boyd, Mclean (Mackail-Smith 82), Rowe. Unused substitutes: McKeown, Mills, Griffiths, Geohaghon.

Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).