MICHAEL CARRICK hopes the point from the goalless draw at struggling Luton Town proves to be an important one in Middlesbrough’s battle to make the Championship play-offs.

Having been under the cosh in the first half, with the Hatters wasting three glaring chances, the visitors came into the game after the break and might have snatched a late winner.

The draw left Boro three points adrift of the top six and Carrick said: “The biggest thing I can say is that hopefully it will prove to be an important point at the end of the season.

“It was a good point in the circumstances. Coming here with the type of game it was going to be, conditions and the pitch, it was just different types of challenges.

“It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t a classic, but there were good things in the game.

“A new back four, to deal with that in the extremity of the way the games goes and direct play, long balls, I thought once we settled into it we dealt with it well.

“”I’m pleased with the attitude and the mentality and the way we had to adapt in the game.

“We thought we could be a little bit more effective going forwards if I’m honest.

STALEMATE: Middlesbrough's Anfernee Dijksteel and Jonny Howson (left) battle with Luton's Carlton Morris at Kenilworth Road Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

“It was difficult, the pitch was so dry and bobbly, so to create in the way we like creating was challenging. I thought we might have nicked it towards the end but we’ll take the point.”

During the opening 45 minutes, Thelo Aasgaard fluffed his lines from close range, skying over the bar, and he also put another volley straight at visiting keeper Mark Travers, who kept out Elijah Adebayo’s one-on-one chance and Liam Walsh’s attempt.

Walsh dragged another opportunity wide, with the busy Travers saving well from Carlton Morris in a first half that Luton were utterly dominant.

It became more even in the second period, Finn Azaz inches wide on the hour mark for Boro, while Luton threatened more through set-pieces, with Mark McGuinness off target on 72 minutes.

Hatters substitute Lasse Nordas stabbed wide via a deflection late on as Town remain deep in relegation trouble.

Luton Town: Kaminski, Makosso, McGuinness, Bell, Jones, Walsh (Dabo 70), Clark, Aasgaard, Doughty (Alli 70), Morris, Adebayo (Brown 55), Brown (Nordas 69). Unused substitutes: Krul, Naismith, Burke, Nelson, Bowler.

Middlesbrough: Travers, Dijksteel, Howson, Borges, Iling-Junior, Morris, Hackney, Burgzorg, Iheanacho, Azaz, Conway (Forss 75). Unused substitutes: Glover, Barlaser, Whittaker, Giles, Woolston, Dede, McCabe, McCormick.

Referee: Farai Hallam (Surrey).

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick and why stalemate at Luton Town could prove crucial to Championship play-off hopes