Middlesbrough 0-0 Rotherham United: Boro frustrated by stubborn Millers

Middlesbrough were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Rotherham at the Riverside to stay in the bottom three of the Championship.

Isaiah Jones should have done better than steer a low effort into the side netting when teed up by Watmore in the best chance of the first half.

The Millers failed to muster a shot on target, but will go into the international break in eighth, while Boro remain 22nd, in the bottom three on goal difference.

In perhaps a reversal of fortunes from recent Championship seasons, the match kicked off with Middlesbrough looking to climb out of the bottom three and Rotherham knowing a win would lift them up to fifth.

Boro, who have taken nine of their 10 points at the Riverside this season, created the better of the openings in a match light on goalmouth action, with Watmore at the heart of them.

The striker, recalled to the side by Chris Wilder, lashed over when well placed in the first half after Richard Wood had made a hash of Riley McGree’s routine ball into the box.

At the other end, the visitors were solid at the back and sharp on the break, particularly in the first half, with Wood inches away from touching Conor Washington’s effort into the net.

But the Millers have scored just one of their 12 league goals on the road this season and that was as close as they came with Boro claiming just a second clean sheet of the season.

The hosts’ frustration grew after the break against a well-drilled defence, and when a neat move did put Watmore in behind, Wood recovered well to stretch out a leg and deflect his angled shot into the side netting.