PULIS IN DAN RED DESPAIR

Middlesbrough 1 Preston 2

TONY PULIS suffered more Riverside Stadium agony as Daniel Ayala was sent off in a gamechanging controversy.

Boro were cruising to a rare home win after Ashley Fletcher grabbed his third goal in four games.

But referee Keith Stroud turned the match on its head by ruling Ayala’s tackle on North End sub Brandon Barker was reckless.

The Spaniard (above) cleaned out Barker on the edge of the area in a forceful but grounded challenge.

To Pulis’s amazement, Stroud gave a free-kick then showed Ayala a red card. Paul Gallagher curled in the resulting free-kick and sub Jayden Stockley nodded home with Boro’s defence asleep, after a deflected shot looped into the air.