As a disheartening season dwindled out without any real purpose the visit of Newcastle United at least offered Boro the slim pickings of a silver lining.
A home win against the neighbours, destined for the Premier League after enjoying the season Boro had hoped for themselves, would give the frustrated Riverside regulars something to cheer about.
Those opportunities had been few and far between in a season that new boss Gordon Strachan had chalked off less than half the way through the campaign.
He’d stamped his mark on the side with some January arrivals but despite the fact Boro were still within touching distance of the play-off places, the Scot spent more time picking fault with his squad than inspiring a late surge for the top six.
Had Boro held on for all the points against the table-toppers on this day in 2010 that gap to sixth place would have been just two points.
With more than 27,000 at the Riverside, the game had the feel of an occasion to it.
And although Boro fell a goal behind, they used the atmosphere to their advantage, dragging themselves back into the match before the break thanks to a thunderbolt from man of the match Barry Robson.
A Newcastle side that had lost only four all season were made to look average throughout. And Boro looked set to pick up the points they deserved when Scott McDonald reacted fastest to prod home with just over quarter-of-an-hour to play.
But Strachan would go on to bemoan the lack of depth in his squad after the game and it told in the final 15 minutes.
As the visitors pushed on Boro tired, Andy Carroll taking advantage by levelling late on.
“Are we anywhere near where we want to be? No,” Strachan told the Gazette after watching his side throw away the lead.
“I am happy with the players I have got here but I’m not happy with the squad.
“I have four midfield players, and that’s my lot. That’s a problem.”goo
Two points dropped but positives to take from the performance.
“Boro looked like a team again on Saturday,” wrote Eric Paylor in his match report.
“In that respect they’ve moved on to a new level - hopefully they will continue to climb.”
It was the start of an eight-match unbeaten run but a run that included far too many draws for Boro to make inroads on the top six.
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