Middlesbrough lost ground in the Championship promotion race after conceding a 96th-minute equaliser to Bristol City in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium, with the dropped points especially costly as leaders Coventry City had already lost to Southampton.

Leo Castledine’s second-half strike appeared to give Middlesbrough a crucial victory, which would have trimmed the gap at the top, but Bristol City midfielder Adam Randell converted City’s first effort on target deep into stoppage time to frustrate Kim Hellberg’s team.

Randell’s goal arrived after Tomi Horvat swung in a precise cross from the right in the 96th minute, and Randell attacked the ball with a powerful header that flew beyond Sol Brynn, earning Bristol City a point from what had looked a lost cause.

Middlesbrough had created enough openings to win comfortably before that late twist, with David Strelec wasting a major chance for a second goal when hitting straight at Radek Vitek, and those missed opportunities became decisive once Bristol City finally tested Brynn.

The hosts controlled almost the entire first half, restricting Bristol City to no shots at all before the break, while Riley McGree drew the first real save from Vitek with an effort just before half-time as Middlesbrough pushed for an opener.

Pressure continued after the interval, with Aidan Morris and captain Alan Browne both forcing further stops from Vitek, and Middlesbrough’s dominance was finally rewarded on 65 minutes when substitute Castledine drilled a fierce finish into the net to give the hosts a deserved lead.

The late equaliser sparked celebrations among the travelling supporters, as Bristol City turned a match of constant defending into a valuable point, while Middlesbrough players looked stunned after losing two points with virtually the final attack.

Bristol City vs Middlesbrough Championship draw: impact on promotion and relegation battles

Having already dropped points against Charlton Athletic in midweek, Middlesbrough entered this fixture knowing victory was important to keep distance from Millwall, who sit third, two points behind and still having a game to play on Saturday in the promotion race.

There was also late drama in the relegation fight, where Oxford United drew 1-1 with Charlton Athletic after Charlie Kelman converted a 93rd-minute penalty for Charlton, cancelling out Cameron Brannagan’s earlier spot-kick that had briefly put Oxford on course for a vital win.

Statistically, Middlesbrough’s display highlighted their frustration, as Hellberg’s side produced 19 shots, including seven on target, generated 2.5 expected goals, created five big chances and recorded 38 touches inside the Bristol City box, yet the visitors scored from their only effort on target out of four, worth just 0.32 expected goals.

{TABLE_1} The numbers underline why Middlesbrough were left disappointed, as superior attacking metrics did not translate into three points, while Bristol City’s resilience and late precision meant the visitors left the Riverside with a draw that could prove valuable later in the Championship season.