Old boy Lukas is on song
MIDDLESBRO BIRMINGHAM 1 1
LUKAS JUTKIEWICZ scored what he thought was an 86th-minute winner and sparked a mass pitchside brawl.
The Middlesbrough bench reacted with fury when Birmingham played on with Marcus Tavernier flat out at the other end of the pitch.
Boro coach Leo Percovich and the visitors’ Sean Rush appeared to be red carded before referee Andy Woolmer finally disallowed the goal.
It was almost the perfect end for Jutkiewicz who finally hit the target against his former club
The Blues striker endured two frustrating seasons on Teesside before leaving six years ago and his return trips hadn’t been much better until last night.
At the sixth attempt he broke his duck.
Midway through the opening period the ex-Burnley man opened the scoring with a close-range header.
Jeremie Bela supplied the cross and Jutkiewicz nipped in ahead of Jonny Howson to plant an effort past goalkeeper Aynsley Pears.
It had all gone wrong for Boro in 15 first-half minutes as they missed a penalty, lost two players to injury and conceded the goal.
Paddy McNair’s 22nd-minute spot-kick was hit well but at a good height for keeper Lee Camp, who saved to his right.
It went from bad to worse for the hosts when Jutkiewicz struck his 10th goal of the campaign and the Blues could have added to their lead before the break when Kerim Mrabti hit the post.
They held on until in-form Ashley Fletcher equalised on 82 minutes.
Jutkiewicz looked to have won it four minutes later but it was ruled out by Woolmer.