Neil Warnock delighted as under-strength Middlesbrough triumph

Despite having a first-team back four sidelined through injury as well as being without the suspended Lee Peltier, Boro edged to three points.

Chances were few and far between at the Riverside but there were a couple of huge penalty decisions that affected the game.

Referee John Busby waved play on when Siriki Dembele went over, having beaten Boro goalkeeper Joe Lumley to the ball shortly after half-time.

Paddy McNair was awarded a spot-kick when he went down in the area under a challenge from Nathan Thompson with six minutes remaining.

McNair sent goalkeeper David Cornell the wrong way to put Middlesbrough on their way.

In stoppage time teenage striker Josh Coburn, who had been introduced from the bench, sealed the win with a tidy finish.

Warnock said: “I couldn’t fault them, every one of them has been super. They all know they are playing out of position, a lot of them anyway, we have nothing else so I asked them to enjoy the battle.

“I told them ‘Don’t dwell on any mistakes, just get on with it and enjoy it’.

“I thought the crowd were quite patient, too. The majority of fans know. Quite simply we could have had another eight or nine points this season with a bit of luck.

“As a manager, you can’t do any more. You have to put the team out. If we had got beaten we couldn’t complain about the effort. The squad is decimated, it is difficult. That’s life.

“In the first half we tried to take an extra touch, created some great chances second half across the box. It was a really good performance, Sol Bamba was outstanding, Duncan Watmore, he got cramp, that doesn’t surprise me either after his work.

“We haven’t been able to work with anything. Thursday night I didn’t have a clue what my team was going to be.”

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson, serving a touchline ban, was frustrated with the fact his side failed to make an attacking impact and was disappointed not to have been awarded a penalty.

Middlesbrough: Lumley, Howson, Bamba, McNair, Tavernier, Crooks; Payero, Hernandez, Watmore (Lea Siliki 88), Ikpeazu (Jones 74); Sporar (Coburn 83). Unused substitutes: Olusanya, Daniels, Kokolo.

Peterborough: Cornell, Thompson (Kanu 90), Knight, Edwards, Beevers; Butler, Grant (Burrows 77), Norburn, Taylor, Szmodics; Dembele (Ward 75). Unused substitutes: Coventry, Kent, Tomlinson, Blackmore.

Referee: J Busby (Oxfordshire).