Middlesbrough sit top of the Championship table after their 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Friday night.

Speaking to Birmingham Live, Baggies boss Darren Moore admitted he found it tough to watch his side lose to a last gasp winner from Boro’s Daniel Ayala.

Moore stated: “Yeah, it's a bit of a sickener to lose in that manner so late in the game, especially when you’ve come away from home and you’ve dominated in the manner that we have.

“It’s always disappointing to concede in the last few minutes of the game from a set-play.

“I thought so (dominated). The stats and the possession would tell you. We’re the away team. I thought the way we moved the ball and used the ball the way we did, I thought we did.

“Considering where we were in terms of coming up here... and they’ve changed their system and shape to nullify us so that tells you all you need to know."

Middlesbrough were the better team for the large majority of the Championship affair, despite West Brom enjoying the better of the possession on the night.

The closest the Baggies came to scoring was through Boro defender Aden Flint, who clipped a Harvey Barnes cross onto his own crossbar past a helpless Darren Randolph.

Martin Braithwaite was culpable of missing opportunities for Boro, whilst Jay Rodriguez forced a save from Randolph with a shot from distance. Kyle Bartley was also frustrated when he was hauled down in the area by Ayala, with the officials not moving to give a penalty.

The Baggies face an easier fixture on Tuesday night, as they take on Mansfield in a Carabao Cup second-round.

The Verdict

The real winner from Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion was Tony Pulis, who beat his former side in his first match against the Baggies since getting the sack last November.

Ayala sealed the win with a late goal, and Darren Moore might've stated he was happy with how his team played for large parts of the match, but they Baggies weren't great.

The Baggies looked uncomfortable at the back against a tall, dominant Boro side at the Riverside, and conceded late as a result.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments. 

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