Michael Carrick on why Middlesbrough FC didn't chase their game with Coventry City, and what they must improve

Now he hopes they can improve on a good display by adding cutting edge in Wednesday's Championship play-off semi-final second leg.

Boro were the better team in the first half of the first leg, hitting the woodwork when Ben Wilson touched a Chuba Akpom shot onto his crossbar. Akpom headed wide at the start of the second half but after that it became more about keeping a clean sheet, and thanks in no small part to an excellent performance from Paddy McNair, they did.

As Coventry manager Mark Robins admitted at full-time it puts Boro in a strong position for the second leg at the Riverside.

"I'm pleased with the boys’ effort," said Carrick after the 0-0 draw. "We did a lot of good things in the game.

"Generally we played pretty well and looked after their front line pretty well – which is not easy. The boys at the back did really well, with the protection in front from Hayden (Hackney) and Alex (Mowatt).

"We’ll try to be better again, but I think the boys, individually and collectively, did ever so well.

"It’s just about adding that little bit of a cutting edge. We created two or three good opportunities but just couldn’t quite take them."

It was the second draw in seven days between the sides, making their third meeting all-important, with a place at Wembley on the line.

"We tried to win the game but in the back of our minds, we knew you can get caught chasing in the moment of the one-off game, and forget about what’s to come next.

"We look forward to another go next week. We know we've got good players at the top end of the pitch capable of scoring. Coventry defend very well, they get behind the ball and close the space down very well.

"But we've got to have belief and trust in what we do."

Robins was pleased that having finished a place lower in the table, Coventry are still in the tie.

"It was tight," said the ex-Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town and Barnsley manager. "There was very little action in both penalty areas.

"We turned over the ball too often in the first half but we spoke to them at half-time to try and get a foothold and play a part with the ball.

"In the second half we came onto the game, we did better.

"I said to the players we've still got a chance.

"They (Boro) are the favourites now and rightly so – I think they're favourites to win it (the play-offs) anyway."