Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0: Clean sheet again for Boro but they are left to rue missed opportunities

Boro were again indebted to on-loan goalkeeper Shay Given for a precious point after the Irishman pulled off a superb one-handed save in the second half.

Wigan showed their teeth first as Ben Watson curled to the back post where Chris McCann’s effort was charged down.

Boro went close on 18 minutes as they won a free-kick 25 yards out but Emmanuel Ledesma’s well-struck effort brought a good save at the near post. Mustapha Carayol then sent a low shot wide.

Boro went close again on 33 minutes as a Ledesma corner was flicked on by Daniel Ayala for Carayol to put a header just wide.

Just before the break, Rhys Williams went down heavily and had to be carried off on a stretcher with what looked like a back injury.

Boro missed a glorious chance to grab the opener when Carayol broke down the left on 64 minutes to send Ledesma into the box and he cut it back to Curtis Main but his shot was scooped over.

Wigan could have snatched the lead on 76 minutes as a quick break found Stephen Crainey 20 yards out and he smashed in a stinging shot that took a slight deflection, although Given made a superb one-handed reflex save.

Middlesbrough: Given, Varga, Ayala, Williams (Gibson 45), Friend, Ledesma, Leadbitter, Whitehead, Carayol (Kamara 83), Main, Emnes (Adomah 60). Unused substitutes: Butterfield, Konstantopoulos, Chalobah, Omeruo.

Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Boyce, Barnett, Perch, Beausejour, Watson (McArthur 60), Espinoza, McCann, Crainey, Powell (Maynard 85), Fortune (McClean 60). Unused substitutes: Nicholls, Gomez, Kiernan, Browning.

Referee: M Naylor (Sheffield).