STAT ATTACK

BRITT ASSOMBALONGA rescued a point for 10-man Middlesbrough with a superb goal – but their home worries continue.

Boss Tony Pulis was relieved his side clawed back a point after Mo Besic’s red card left them a man short for 68 minutes.

The promotion-chasers were bright when they adopted a have-a-go attitude after the break but Assombalonga’s strike was only their fifth in the last eight home games.

And they have only one win in their last seven league games at the Riverside.

Pulis was fuming about the red card – for Besic tugging Bradley Dack’s shirt – and cursed Boro’s missed chances.

He said: “The referee does not send him off – the assistant ref and the fourth official did. It is a yellow card not a sending off.

“How they make that decision is beyond me.

“You have to be 100 per cent sure it is clear cut denying a goalscoring opportunity.

“The sending off knocked the stuffing out of the lads.”

Boro were struggling from the off – a goal and a man down after just 22 minutes.

Rovers forward Dack caught Besic in possession and spun off towards goal.

But Besic tugged the ex-Gillingham man back, halting his sprint to goal and was subsequently given his marching orders.

There was a double punishment to come. The free-kick looked unthreatening 32 yards out,