A snatched point...but a test was truly passed

THE forecast was free flowing football and goals.

This game served up the former all afternoon - particularly with the impressive home side in full flow. For the latter, those in attendance had to wait.

But the last four minutes plus stoppage time was well worth the wait.

After 86 minutes of intriguing and fascinating Championship football which looked set to end with two teams having to settle for a point, the final stages were mad. Bonkers.

In the space of just a few minutes you went from seeing Aboubakar Kamara wheeling away and Fulham fans ecstatic at having seemingly snatched all three points to the home side clinging on for a draw as Boro threw bodies forward in search of a late winner.

Garry Monk made a good point after the game when he was asked about his side’s new-found ability to come from behind, pointing to the fact that he’d rather Boro didn’t find themselves in a position where they were trailing in the first place.

But that was to take absolutely nothing away from his squad, of which the character of his players was on display - and then hailed by the boss - yet again.

Here, the scoreboard hardly had chance to change from 0-0 to 1-0 before Cyrus Christie lashed home that late leveller. For the full-back, it was a moment to savour for more than one reason. He won’t have many afternoons as difficult as this one against a 17-year-old in Ryan Sessegnon who won’t be playing Championship football for long. He’s destined for the top.

It was a point snatched yet undoubtedly a point gained.

Fulham - as other managers often point out - are a top quality Championship team who won’t spend too many weeks in their current bottom half predicament.

They’re fast and fluid in attack, always on the move and never stopped asking questions of Boro.

But the hosts are liable to switch off late on, as teams have discovered this season, and when they were joyous here they were also vulnerable. Boro pounced.

As Monk pointed out after the game, his side were far from their best. But this was a true Championship test passed.