Manager Michael Carrick said no teacups were thrown at half-time as Middlesbrough staged a fightback from 2-0 down only to throw the game away at Bristol City.

The Robins looked on course for a comfortable win when Taylor Gardner-Hickman curled a superb first goal for the club after 37 minutes and Tommy Conway doubled the advantage with a penalty just before the break after Matty James had been fouled.

But Boro roared back to level by the 52nd minute through Zak Vyner’s headed own goal and a Matt Crooks shot before Mark Sykes volleyed home a 67th-minute winner from an acute angle.

Carrick said of his half-time team-talk: “I just told the players to believe in what they are good at. Do what they do best. In the second half we were more like our usual selves.

Samuel Silvera of Middlesbrough tracked by Taylor Gardner-Hickman of Bristol City (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)

“We controlled the game for long periods so I’m very disappointed to be going home with nothing.

“I didn’t think it was a penalty because our player got a touch on the ball, but that’s football.

“We paid for a messy five minutes in the first half and one in the second. Other than that, we played some good stuff.

“When those little moments catch you out, you can find yourselves with too much to do.

“The boys were good chasing the game in the second half and then one lapse has cost us.

“All their goals came from isolated incidents. First a shot into the top corner no goalkeeper would have saved, then a penalty and then a corner.

“We didn’t manage the minutes leading up to half-time well enough. But the players responded really well after the break and we looked the only team likely to win.

“Bristol City were well organised and asked questions of us. I wish Liam all the best in his new job.”

Bristol City: O'Leary, Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring, James (Williams 90), Gardner-Hickman, Sykes (Naismith 81), Knight, Bell (Mehmeti 69), Conway (Cornick 69). Unused substitutes: Weimann, Bajic, Knight-Lebel, Yeboah.

Middlesbrough: Dieng, van den Berg (Silvera 73), Fry, McNair, Engel (Bangura 66), Howson (Barlaser 86), Hackney, I Jones, Crooks (Rogers 73), Greenwood (Coburn 86), Latte Lath. Unused substitutes: Clarke, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Glover.

Referee: J Busby (Oxfordshire).

No teacup treatment from Michael Carrick despite Middlesbrough throwing Bristol City game away twice