Nico de Boinville knows Constitution Hill’s electrifying jumping leaves “no margin for error” – particularly in the white-hot cauldron of the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s star is chasing a second successive win in the race having demolished State Man by nine lengths last year.

There are those who feel State Man has enjoyed a better preparation this term, and he has won four Grade Ones since that reverse while Constitution Hill has only been seen once since April.

However, De Boinville has full faith that Henderson is the right man for getting a horse to peak on the big day.

“I couldn’t have been happier with him at Kempton. State Man has gone and done what he does on that side of the Irish Sea, but there are still four weeks to go and you are just keeping all fingers crossed,” De Boinville told talkSPORT2.

“I’ve been going there before with the likes of Altior and at the last minute things go wrong, so you are just hoping everything goes right and we have a very good prep.”

Regarding his mount’s incredible jumping technique he went on: “You really do feel like there’s no margin for error because you are going so fast, you are literally just clipping the top bar. You are going very, very quick and there will be no exception in the Champion Hurdle, it’s going to be run at a very good pace and hopefully the right horse wins.

“He’s (Henderson) definitely not one to doubt. If the weather hadn’t stopped us, he would have had two runs and no one would be saying anything as he’d have gone to the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle, so ultimately we were stopped because of the weather.

“Hopefully he’ll be busy enough in the spring, you can go to Aintree and Punchestown after Cheltenham if he comes through it well.”

Henderson and De Boinville enjoyed a good day at Newbury on Saturday when Iberico Lord won the feature Betfair Hurdle, but perhaps more importantly Shishkin booked his Gold Cup ticket with a straightforward win after an interrupted season.

De Boinville said: “It was very encouraging. I heard someone refer to him as an inconsistent horse, but I tend to disagree with that. Once he sets off he tends to put up really good runs and more often than not he’s somewhere near the winner’s enclosure.

“I had no doubts on Saturday, from the point I got on him in the paddock he was raring to go and wanted to get on with it. As soon as I lined up he was happy, the tapes went up and away he went.

“I was happy with him, he took a good blow as well so it was a really good prep race for him going towards the Gold Cup.

“One thing that Shishkin does do is finish strong, over three miles or two. He’s quirky in a sense that he can race behind the bridle, race lazily and the suddenly pick it up again, you just have to keep encouraging him forward.

“I think he’s best of the British. I’m looking forward to seeing what L’Homme Presse does at Ascot, but Galopin Des Champs definitely sets the standard, I’d like to think we’d definitely serve it up to him.”

Mark Wood took a couple of wickets on his recall but England were blunted by India’s steady hands of Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja on the opening day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Left out at Visakhapatnam, Wood returned as England picked two seamers for the first time in the series and he snared Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill after Ben Stokes had lost the toss on his 100th Test.

Tom Hartley dismissed Rajat Patidar as India lurched to 33 for three, with the suspicion some early-morning moisture was responsible for aiding bowling conditions on what was expected to be a flat pitch.

But as temperatures rose in Gujarat and the surface gradually flattened out, Rohit and Jadeja steadied the ship with an unbroken 152-run stand as India went to tea on 185 for three.

Rohit was dropped on 27 off Hartley – and overturned an lbw shout off James Anderson three balls later – but he absorbed the pressure and found a willing ally in Jadeja. India’s captain thumped 11 fours and two meaty straight sixes off Hartley to go to tea on 97 not out.

Jadeja, meanwhile, was unbeaten on 68 on his return from a hamstring injury to help lead the recovery when India found themselves in deep trouble as the series, level at 1-1, resumed after a 10-day break.

England’s quicks shared the new ball and were both punished for overpitching but Wood hit his stride to see off Jaiswal. A double centurion in Vizag, there is a suspicion Jaiswal is more susceptible to express pace and bounce and his tentative poke caught the outside edge and carried to Joe Root.

Wood was agonisingly close to Gill’s off-stump after beating the inside edge in his next over. Perhaps unsettled by that, India’s number three played inside the line to the next ball and nicked off.

India were three down inside nine overs as Hartley struck in his opening instalment. It was an innocuous delivery but the ball appeared to stick in the surface and turned sharply, with Patidar miscuing a looping catch to cover.

Rather than expose debutant Sarfaraz Khan, Jadeja moved up one place to partner another old-stager in Rohit, who was hit on the grill by a spiteful Wood lifter.

India’s captain was then reprieved after an intended flick caught the edge and whizzed to Root, who could not cling on to a tough chance at slip.

Rohit was then saved by an inside edge after being given out lbw off Anderson – three balls later – and after weathering some sustained pressure, Rohit and Jadeja restored some calm.

Rohit was characteristically fluent through the leg-side, tucking off his hips and legs, and survived an lbw shout off Hartley on 49 to reach his first Test 50 in nine innings. His lean patch has followed India’s World Cup final defeat but any building pressure has been eased by this knock.

Hartley toiled through 17 overs at one end – only interrupted by one from Rehan Ahmed just before lunch – as Anderson and Wood took it in turns at the other. Anderson was surgical and found a hint of reverse, while Wood bounded in but both were unrewarded for their endeavours.

Jadeja was at first content to be the junior partner in the union but he reached an important 50 on his home ground before tea.

There were muted appeals when Rohit, on 87, missed a sweep off Rehan, who was retained after a visa problem earlier in the week.

While it was inconclusive whether the ball had caught any of the glove, it definitely hit his forearm and would have gone on to thud into the stumps but England did not review.

Cyriel Dessers spoke of a growing “connection” with James Tavernier after the Rangers skipper set him up for a double in the 3-1 cinch Premiership win over Ross County on Wednesday night.

The Gers striker latched on to a pass from Tavernier after only five minutes at Ibrox to lob Staggies goalkeeper George Wickens and get the home side off to a flying start.

Philippe Clement’s men required a three-goal win against second-bottom County to go above leaders Celtic but they passed up several chances to stretch their lead – Dessers hit the post with one attempt – before Simon Murray levelled against the run of play.

Dessers grabbed his second from a Tavernier cross just before the break but there were more opportunities passed up in the second-half before defender John Souttar headed in a third, again from a delivery from the Ibrox captain, in the second of seven added minutes

Despite 23 shots on target, Rangers could only finish the game with three goals and although they moved level with Celtic on 61 points and on goal difference, they have scored four goals fewer to keep them second.

Dessers, who has now scored 14 goals this season, noted the contribution of the Light Blues’ right-back, saying: “It’s the small things, sometimes we just need eye contact to know what we’re doing.

“That’s the connection you work on in training and games and obviously, those things were not there in August or September, these things are growing and these goals are a good example but also it happened in December.

“Tav gets the balls there  – it’s the job of the striker to finish them.”

Rangers were seven points behind Celtic last October when Clement took over from Michael Beale but the Belgian boss has rejuvenated the club.

Clement has already brought the Viaplay Cup back to Ibrox and the Light Blues are in the last-16 of the Europa League.

Rangers have won seven in a row since the winter break and as the chase of Celtic in the title race continues – and the Gers take on Hibernian in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup – Dessers looked forward with optimism as he noted the appreciation of the fans who are becoming increasingly excited about their side’s performances.

He said: “The team and me are in a good place.

“Everyone is scoring and contributing and you also feel the atmosphere, especially in the last games, it’s becoming a little extra compared to the games before.

“We as players feel that as well. That’s really positive, a huge thing which can be a boost for the next 13 games in the league and hopefully that can make the difference.

“Obviously it is a good feeling to get recognition from the fans, it means I have been doing things well.

“Especially for a striker, it’s all in the package of the team.

“It’s a nice feeling and I think there is a really positive vibe in the stadium and the training ground.

“We’re in a good place and want to keep this going. Not just in the locker room but with the fans and we are on a good way with that.”

Bayern Munich have condemned the racist abuse directed at Dayot Upamecano following their Champions League defeat at Lazio on Wednesday.

France defender Upamecano was sent off in the 67th minute after conceding a penalty, which Ciro Immobile converted for Lazio’s 1-0 round of 16 first-leg win.

“FC Bayern strongly condemn the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media,” the German champions said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club. We’re all behind you, Upa!”

Upamecano’s red card means the 25-year-old will miss the second leg in Munich on March 5.

Bayern’s defeat increased the pressure on former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel after Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen saw them fall five points behind Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga leaders.

Tuchel’s side also suffered a shock second-round German Cup exit to third division minnows Saarbrucken in November.

What the papers say

Wolves may look to sell star winger Pedro Neto this summer to avoid breaching profit and sustainability rules, with several papers reporting the Midlands outfit are willing to do business. Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are interested in the 23-year-old, who has scored two goals with eight assists in 15 games this season.

Barcelona have shown interest in Manchester City and England winger Lauren Hemp with her contract set to expire in summer and reports of uncertainty over her future at the club, the Standard says. Hemp has scored seven goals with five assists this season.

The Guardian says Crystal Palace are looking at former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner to replace Roy Hodgson if they decide to part ways with the veteran manager, while the Telegraph says former Chelsea manager Graham Potter could replace David Moyes at West Ham.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Michael Olise: Palace will be in a battle to keep their 22-year-old winger with 90min reporting Manchester United are showing interest in the French under-21 international.

Lucas Paqueta: The West Ham midfielder with two goals and five assists in 18 games in the Premier League is on Manchester City’s radar, Football Insider says.

Mark Wood vindicated his England recall with the wickets of in-form India batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill on a lively opening morning of the third Test.

Left out at Visakhapatnam, Wood returned as England selected two seamers for the first time in this series in Rajkot and he took the edges of two batters who had passed three figures last time out.

Wood also sconed Rohit Sharma on the helmet with a spiteful lifter while what was expected to be the flattest pitch so far played against type as Tom Hartley found grip and turn to dismiss Rajat Patidar.

Joe Root spilled a tough chance when Rohit was on 27 while the India captain overturned an lbw verdict off James Anderson three balls later before going to lunch unbeaten on 52 in India’s 93 for three.

Ravindra Jadeja shuffled up the order on his return from injury and restored calm after India lurched from 22 for none to 33 for three after Ben Stokes had called incorrectly at the toss on his 100th Test.

There was initially little to trouble India’s openers as the series, level at 1-1, resumed after a 10-day break. But while Jaiswal made a sparkling double century in Vizag, there is a perception he struggles against express pace and he poked uncertainly to his second delivery off Wood and perished.

Wood was tantalisingly close to Gill’s off-stump in his following over after finding some inward movement. Perhaps spooked by that, India’s number three played inside the line and feathered the next ball through to Ben Foakes on his 31st birthday as Wood collected his second wicket in six balls.

Rajat Patidar was undone by the surface as Hartley’s innocuous delivery in his first over held up before turning sharply and led to a withdrawn cut shot that caught the bat and looped gently to cover.

Rather than expose debutant Sarfaraz Khan, Jadeja moved up one place to partner Rohit, who had looked unflustered at the other end but was hit flush on his grill by the excellent Wood.

He disrupted Hartley’s lengths with a counteroffensive but, seeking a third four in an over, a whip across the line took the edge and flew to Root, who was unable to react quickly enough to the chance.

The umpire’s finger went up when Anderson thudded into Rohit’s pad but the opener was saved by an inside edge on review. Rohit and Jadeja (24 not out) settled from that point on and there were few further alarms in the rest of the session.

Norman Powell hit four 3-pointers over the final 7:03 and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 12 down in the fourth quarter to end the Golden State Warriors’ five-game winning streak, 130-125 on Wednesday.

James Harden had 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and Paul George scored 24 points before fouling out as the Clippers won their fifth straight on the road despite missing Kawhi Leonard, who sat out with a left leg injury.

Stephen Curry scored 41 points and went 9 for 19 from 3-point range and became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven 3s in four straight games. He notched his sixth 40-point game of the season.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was denied his 500th regular season win and Golden State suffered just its second loss in the last nine games.

The Clippers had lost six straight on the Warriors’ home floor.

Surging Celtics rip Nets

Payton Pritchard scored 28 points and Derrick White had 27 as the Boston Celtics pounded the Brooklyn Nets 136-86 for their sixth straight win and a sweep of their home-and-home series.

Jayson Tatum added 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the Celtics gave coach Joe Mazzulla his 100th victory.

Boston, which enters the All-Star break with a league-best 43-12 record, made 22 of 44 from 3-point range and won by at least 50 points for the fifth time in team history.

The Celtics won their 10th in the last 11 meetings against the Nets, who have lost five of six overall.

Irving keeps Mavericks red hot

Kyrie Irving had 34 points and Luka Dončić added 27 before leaving early in the fourth quarter as the streaking Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 116-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic, who also had nine rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes, left three minutes into the fourth holding his neck. A team spokesman said the Dallas superstar received treatment.

The Mavs erased a 15-point deficit to win their season-high sixth straight.

Victor Wembanyama scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half and grabbed nine rebounds as the Spurs lost for the eighth time in nine games.

League One Bradford claimed another Premier League scalp to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 39 years on this day in 2015.

Billy Clarke’s deflected third-minute effort – which went down as a John O’Shea own goal – and a cool 61st-minute finish from Jon Stead saw the Bantams build on their stunning fourth-round win over Chelsea by dispatching Gus Poyet’s Sunderland 2-0 with embarrassing ease.

From Clarke’s effort on, the underdogs seized control of the game in front of a sell-out Valley Parade crowd of over 24,000 and heaped more woe on a Black Cats side struggling in the top flight.

At times it seemed like throwback football – a frenetic pace, a muddy pitch cutting up more by the minute, a pair of players swathed in thick white headbands after an early head clash, and a controversial lack of television cameras present to show the action live.

The roar released by the home fans at the final whistle could probably be heard in the offices of TV executives across the land as Phil Parkinson’s men confirmed their richly deserved place in the last eight for the first time since 1976.

Parkinson said at the time: “There was always a danger that, because we beat Chelsea, everyone would expect us to win today, and we had to guard against that and go in there with the underdog mentality.

“Right from the first whistle we played with great desire and great spirit and we were first to every ball all over the pitch.

“Today is another terrific day and, to have Valley Parade full of 24,000 fans, it’s like a throwback. The lads were absolutely revelling in it and they deserve the support because of their performances and the effort they have put in over the years.”

Bradford’s run was ended in the last eight by Reading, with the sides drawing 0-0 in the first match before the Royals won the replay 3-0.

Anton Lundell scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists as the Florida Panthers extended their franchise-record road winning streak to nine with a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

Aaron Ekblad and Johan Gadjovich also had goals for the Panthers, who improved to 16-3-2 since Dec. 23 to pull within two points of Eastern Conference-leading Boston.

Tkachuk has been a key catalyst with 13 goals and 19 assists in Florida’s last 17 games.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to win his fifth consecutive start with a 1.58 goals-against average during that span.

Bryan Rust and John Ludvig scored for the Penguins, who lost their third straight to remain seven points behind the final playoff spot in the East.

Hellebuyck shuts out Sharks

Connor Hellebuyck needed to make just 17 saves for his third shutout of the season and Morgan Barron scored in the Winnipeg Jets’ 1-0 win over the San Jose Sharks.

Hellebuyck stopped four shots in the first period, eight in the second and five in the third for his 35th career shutout.

He became the 10th goaltender in NHL history to allow three goals or fewer in 30 consecutive games in the regular season.

Barron scored with 2:13 left in the opening period and Hellebuyck made it stand up as the Jets won their second straight following a five-game skid.

Wild defeat reeling Coyotes for 4th straight win

Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist and Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 25 shots as the Minnesota Wild won their fourth consecutive game, 3-1 over the Arizona Coyotes.

Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek had the other goals for the Wild, who have won seven of their last nine games.

Logan Cooley scored the lone goal as Arizona lost its seventh game in a row.

Christian Horner will face the media on Thursday as an investigation into an allegation of “inappropriate behaviour” against the Red Bull team principal continues.

The embattled boss is due to attend the world champions’ car launch at their Milton Keynes headquarters in what will be his first public appearance since the accusation by a female colleague surfaced at the beginning of last week. Horner, 50, categorically denies the claim.

For now, Horner remains in his role as team principal and was present at a behind-closed-doors Red Bull test at Silverstone on Tuesday ahead of the new season which starts in just over a fortnight.

Red Bull will unveil their new car on Thursday and Horner is expected to address the media – although the PA news agency understands legalities around the process mean that questions relating to the internal investigation will be off-limits.

Last week, Horner was quizzed by a lawyer for eight hours as part of the probe by Red Bull Racing’s parent company Red Bull GmBH.

There had been a strong desire for Horner’s future to be resolved before Thursday’s launch but sources have indicated that he could face further rounds of questioning as he bids to prove his innocence.

Horner has been Red Bull team principal since they entered F1 19 years ago and is the longest-serving boss on the grid.

During that period he has overseen seven drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles. Red Bull have dominated the sport in recent seasons and last year won 21 of the 22 races, with Max Verstappen setting a new record for 10 consecutive victories.

One person has died and more than 20 others have been injured after shots were fired near the scene of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.

A video on social media showed armed officers rush into Union Station on a day supporters gathered near the building at the end of the parade route to celebrate Sunday’s victory with the team’s players and staff.

The Kansas City Police Department said at least 22 people suffered gunshot wounds, including the fatally injured victim, and confirmed three people had been taken into custody.

Radio Station KKFI said on social media that one of their presenters, DJ Lisa Lopez, was killed in the shooting.

KKFI said in a statement: “Our hearts and prayers are with her family. This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community.”

Kansas City Police Department chief Stacey Graves said at a press conference: “At the conclusion of the Chiefs’ rally today, there were shots fired on the west side of Union Station.

“Immediately, officers responded to the area, took two people into custody and also immediately rendered life-sustaining aid to those victims.”

At a later briefing, she added: “We have confirmed there is one deceased person. Our gunshot total has went up to 22.

“Right now, we’re still working on the total number of victims. This is still an active investigation.

“We do have three persons detained and under investigation for today’s incident.

“Our investigators are working with all of the surviving victims to connect them with loved ones. We are also working to identify our deceased victim so we can notify their family as soon as possible.”

The Kansas City Chiefs confirmed their players, coaches and staff were all safe and accounted for.

“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today’s parade and rally,” the team said in a statement.

“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City.

“We are in close communication with the Mayor’s office as well as the Kansas City Police Department.

“At this time, we have confirmed that all of our players, coaches, staff and their families are safe and accounted for.

“We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on-scene to assist.”

Kansas City players and staff were celebrating beating the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Sunday to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in 19 years.

Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes took to social media, saying: “Praying for Kansas City.”

Travis Kelce wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today. My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.”

Linebacker Drue Tranquill posted: “Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act. Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”

Offensive lineman Trey Smith thanked first responders, adding: “You’re the ones who should be celebrated today.”

A statement from the NFL read: “We are deeply saddened by the senseless shooting that occurred today near the end of the rally in Kansas City for the Chiefs. Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected.

“We are grateful for the quick and thorough response of law enforcement and emergency personnel.”

Earlier, the city had been in party mode as Super Bowl MVP Mahomes and team-mate Travis Kelce took centre stage on a platform near Union Station.

Mahomes had told a cheering crowd the Chiefs were going for a “three-peat” next season while Kelce led the supporters in some chanting.

One person has died and more than 20 others have been injured after shots were fired near the scene of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.

A video on social media showed armed officers rush into Union Station on a day supporters gathered near the building at the end of the parade route to celebrate Sunday’s victory with the team’s players and staff.

The Kansas City Police Department said at least 22 people suffered gunshot wounds, including the fatally injured victim, and confirmed three people had been taken into custody.

Kansas City Police Department chief Stacey Graves said at a press conference: “At the conclusion of the Chiefs’ rally today, there were shots fired on the west side of Union Station.

“Immediately, officers responded to the area, took two people into custody and also immediately rendered life-sustaining aid to those victims.”

At a later briefing, she added: “We have confirmed there is one deceased person. Our gunshot total has went up to 22.

“Right now, we’re still working on the total number of victims. This is still an active investigation.

“We do have three persons detained and under investigation for today’s incident.

“Our investigators are working with all of the surviving victims to connect them with loved ones. We are also working to identify our deceased victim so we can notify their family as soon as possible.”

The Kansas City Chiefs confirmed their players, coaches and staff were all safe and accounted for.

“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today’s parade and rally,” the team said in a statement.

“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City.

“We are in close communication with the Mayor’s office as well as the Kansas City Police Department.

“At this time, we have confirmed that all of our players, coaches, staff and their families are safe and accounted for.

“We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on-scene to assist.”

Kansas City players and staff were celebrating beating the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Sunday to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in 19 years.

Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes took to social media, saying: “Praying for Kansas City.”

Linebacker Drue Tranquill posted: “Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act. Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”

Offensive lineman Trey Smith thanked first responders, adding: “You’re the ones who should be celebrated today.”

A statement from the NFL read: “We are deeply saddened by the senseless shooting that occurred today near the end of the rally in Kansas City for the Chiefs. Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected.

“We are grateful for the quick and thorough response of law enforcement and emergency personnel.”

Earlier, the city had been in party mode as Super Bowl MVP Mahomes and team-mate Travis Kelce took centre stage on a platform near Union Station.

Mahomes had told a cheering crowd the Chiefs were going for a “three-peat” next season while Kelce led the supporters in some chanting.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe believes the anniversary of Sir Tom Finney’s death inspired his side to their 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough.

The club marked the 10th anniversary of the death of the Preston and England great by sporting special edition kits in honour of the famous number seven.

An ovation in the seventh minute seemed to rouse the Lilywhites and goals from Liam Millar and Emil Riis took them to the brink of the play-offs.

“It did give us extra motivation,” said Lowe. “We wanted to have a bit of a celebration because I think that’s what it was, we wanted to show the family and our fans what we can do.

“It was important that we got a win on the back of that because there can be too much pressure on it.

“I’ve obviously got to be mindful of the fact that we have a game to play and try and win and it was a great occasion.

“We kept it simple, we knew what we were here to do, we respected the occasion and I think we’ve sent the Finney family and all of our fans home happy.”

The Lilywhites went in front in the 23rd minute when Millar brought down Matt Clarke’s attempted clearance with his right foot and fired a left-footed shot past Tom Glover from just outside the box.

Boro continued to push for a leveller and it arrived through Finn Azaz in the 57th minute, opening his account for the club with a rocket of a shot into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Boro soon found themselves behind again, though, with Riis tapping home on the hour-mark – his sixth goal in as many games for Preston against Boro – after Will Keane’s shot deflected and fell kindly to him.

It earned Lowe’s side their third league win in a row and they are outside of the top six only on goal difference.

“The lads are dead on their feet, they’ve worked their socks off,” said Lowe. “Their resilience, wow, it’s massively pleasing.

“Sometimes you can’t help but drop the way we dropped and soak it up. We gave the ball away a couple of times, or more than a couple of times, to let them have penetration on us and we need to nullify it and stop it.

“But then for us to show that resilience and character and desire to get right back into the game right afterwards (after the equaliser) was massively pleasing.”

Boro, meanwhile, are without a win in four Championship games and have slipped seven points adrift of the play-off places.

“I think it’s a tough result to take for sure,” said manager Michael Carrick. “I think the results definitely aren’t going our way. I thought tonight we definitely deserved an awful lot more from the game.

“But we’re not getting it, so we need to accept that and we’ve got to do something about it.

“I can’t fault the boys in terms of effort. Some of the quality of the play was really, really good, but we’ve definitely not got the balance between performance and results at the moment.

“They hadn’t had a touch in our box and we were 1-0 down today. That was the only time they’d gone up there.

“It’s happened probably two or three times over the last six weeks or so. With that, there’s a lot of good things.

“There’s a lot of good things in the game, but those moments are going against us and we have to accept that and we’ve got to do something about it.”