MICHAEL CARRICK admits Middlesbrough’s failure to make the most of their spell in the ascendancy ultimately proved their undoing as they lost 1-0 to Millwall at the Den.
Boro were the better side for the majority of the first half in south London, but aside from a tame Morgan Whittaker effort that was easily saved by Lukas Jensen, they failed to seriously threaten the Millwall goal.
The course of the game changed when Alex Neil brought on Macauley Langstaff as a second striker at half-time, and the home side made their improved performance count as Camiel Neghli drove home the 65th-minute strike that hauled them level on points with Boro on the fringe of the play-off race.
“I think they had a spell of 20 minutes after half-time that made the difference,” said Carrick. “I thought they came out after half-time and got some momentum.
“We put ourselves on the back foot a bit. Credit to them, they made us defend and they made the most of the time when they were on top.
“I thought in the first half, we were really good, coming here and controlling things. I thought we caused them a lot of problems playing through the pitch, we just didn’t have that final action or the right decision to make a chance.
“I thought we created enough good opportunities, but we couldn’t make the most of it. They made the most of their spell after half-time and took the chance that they got.
“In the end, that was the game. We had a chance with Marcus (Forss) at the end, and it was a great save, but we just didn’t have that little bit something to open them up.”
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Boro’s defeat means they remain two points adrift of the play-off positions with four games remaining.
However, sixth-placed Coventry City now have a game in hand, and if they win at Hull City on Monday night, Boro will fall four points away from the top six.
“I thought the boys got themselves into good positions and had opportunities where you thought there was a big chance coming, but it just never really materialised,” continued Carrick.
“To put us in those positions, I thought we did a lot of good things, and we did a lot of what we set out to do in terms of controlling the game and defusing the atmosphere. We just couldn’t capitalise enough on it at the end and that was the difference.”
