Peterborough 2-2 Middlesbrough

By Paul Fletcher BBC Sport at London Road

Kitson's goals were not enough to seal Gordon Strachan's first win at Boro

Peterborough collected their first point since the appointment of Mark Cooper - but the wait for Middlesbrough's debut win under Gordon Strachan continues.

Substitute Shaun Batt struck a sensational 25-yard equaliser to earn a draw for rock-bottom Posh, who were playing in their first home game since Cooper succeeded Darren Ferguson.

Dave Kitson, in his second match for Middlesbrough after joining on loan from Stoke, had put the visiting team in front in the first half with a sharp finish from the edge of the box.

George Boyd equalised shortly after the restart with a precise shot into the bottom corner but Kitson almost immediately headed Middlesbrough back in front after a brilliant cross from Adam Johnson.

Posh keeper Joe Lewis had been busier than his opposite number but the visitors failed to close out the game - and Batt's goal means Strachan's team are now 13 points behind leaders Newcastle.

Strachan might point to a strong penalty shout that was turned down late on but nonetheless his return is now two points from his four games and he needs his team to discover the winning habit soon if they are to remain in contention for an automatic return to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough had the greater cutting edge but Posh refused to buckle and Cooper can take plenty of encouragement from a display that suggests his team are willing to scrap all the way for their Championship survival.

Posh set about their task from the opening whistle, with Lee Frecklington shooting narrowly wide from 30 yards in just the second minute after the visiting team only half cleared a corner.

Imposing defender Exodus Geohaghon was on his debut for Peterborough and his enormous throw-ins clearly unsettled Middlesbrough. The first came after just three minutes and their failure to clear it resulted in a decent chance for Scott Griffiths, who missed the target from 14 yards.

Boyd, who started on the right, then forced a sharp save from Brad Jones with a shot from the edge of the box after a neat turn created the opportunity.

Strachan had cut a frustrated figure on the touchline during the opening 15 minutes, frequently barking orders to his team, but his side gradually took control of the half.

PAUL FLETCHER BLOG Strachan's mandate is clear - to ensure Steve Gibson's flirtation with the Championship ends in May. Success for Cooper will mean keeping rock-bottom Posh in the division

Leroy Lita had a shot from a tight angle saved and was later played clean through by a sensational curved pass from Johnson - only for the striker to once again see his effort denied by the alert Lewis.

The Posh keeper was increasingly involved and although he stopped a strike from Julio Arca, the England Under-21 stopper could not prevent Kitson from slotting home the rebound as Middlesbrough took the lead just after the half-hour mark.

Posh rallied before the interval but Aaron McLean shot wide from 20 yards and Tommy Rowe had a shot blocked after another long Geohaghon throw-in caused chaos.

The visitors threatened to take charge after the restart, with Johnson narrowly missing from long range before a completely unmarked Lita headed wide from six yards and then hit a crisp strike that Lewis saved low down to his left.

But it was Posh who struck, Boyd slotting the ball across goal and into the bottom corner after collecting Griffiths's chipped pass over the Middlesbrough defence.

It was an excellent composed finish by Boyd, who in the process scored the first Peterborough goal since Cooper's appointment and his 11th of the season.

The goal silenced the away fans - but not for long as Kitson restored their lead with the simplest of headers after a sensational left-wing cross from Johnson.

Middlesbrough were clearly in the ascendancy and should have made more of a four-versus-two break.

Cooper tried to change the momentum, bringing on Charlie Lee and Batt in quick succession - and was rewarded when the latter equalised with his sensational 25-yard effort that eluded Jones in the Middlsebrough goal.

The match continued to see-saw one way then the other, with the away side enjoying another spell on top. A drilled low ball across the face of Posh's goal seemed certain to find Kitson but Geohaghon made a superb clearance while McLean appeared to trip Sean St Ledger inside the Peterborough box.

The former Posh defender - and all of his team-mates - were incensed when the referee waved away their appeals.

Peterborough manager Mark Cooper:
"Shaun (Batt) had a real go in the reserves during the week and deserved the chance to go on and make a difference.

"I certainly haven't seen him do anything like that before, but it was a stunning goal. I would much rather have three points than one, but it is a start from which we can attempt to move forward.

"It is all about putting little runs of results together to try and get ourselves off the bottom and away from the relegation zone."

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan:
"We had more than enough chances to win the game, but there was far more right with our performance than wrong.

"We just have to work on that aspect of the game as well as our awareness in moments of danger.

"Of course it is frustrating when you have the lead in football matches but don't go on to win them, but we could quite easily have won three of the four games I've been in charge for."

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