Darragh Lenihan’s second-half goal cancelled out Anthony Musaba’s opener as Sheffield Wednesday drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough at Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

It was 23rd against 24th in South Yorkshire and both sides were without a win in any of their first six matches in the Championship this season.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz made six changes to the team that lost 1-0 at home to Ipswich, with Bambo Diaby, Di’Shon Bernard, Pol Valentin, Barry Bannan, John Buckley and Ashley Fletcher joining the starting XI.

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick made four switches from the 2-1 defeat away to Blackburn, with Lukas Engel, Riley McGree, Samuel Silvera and Josh Coburn coming in.

Wednesday had the first chance early on when Valentin shot from distance but Fletcher could only deflect it wide.

Play was stopped after 15 minutes when tennis balls were thrown on to the pitch by a handful of home fans protesting chairman Dejphon Chansiri’s running of the club.

Middlesbrough’s first opening came when Coburn cut back for Silvera, who would have put the visitors ahead if not for Akin Famewo’s block.

Josh Windass was forced off with an injury half an hour in and it was his replacement who gave the Owls the advantage in the 38th minute.

Bernard made a bursting run from the back, played a one-two with Valentin and squared the ball to Musaba who put the ball through the legs of keeper Seny Dieng.

Valentin was proving to be the biggest threat on Wednesday’s right and Fletcher nearly converted his low cross from the last chance of the half.

It was a completely different story in the second half which was dominated by Middlesbrough. Silvera had a shot from range saved by Devis Vasquez but it wasn’t long before his side got the equaliser.

Lenihan met Lewis O’Brien’s corner and the ball cannoned off the bar and just sneaked over the line to give Boro the leveller after 53 minutes.

Matt Crooks thought he had given the away side the lead moments later but his header was flagged for offside. Coburn then powered an effort inches wide after he shrugged off defender Diaby.

Middlesbrough continued to have the bulk of possession but could not make it count and nearly lived to regret it. The ball fell to George Byers on the edge of the box but the Owls substitute curled his effort wide of the mark.

The draw was of little benefit to either of the sides, with Boro remaining rooted to the foot of the table and the Owls still just one place above them.

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was pleased to lay on the entertainment in front of a gathering of former Ewood Park favourites for the club’s 5,000th league game.

A total of 35 attempts on goal were shared by both teams as Sammie Szmodics’ brace secured a 2-1 triumph over bottom-of-the-table Middlesbrough.

Matt Crooks replied in an incredibly open game, but Tomasson insisted afterwards that he would “rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0” every week.

Former Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals for England, were among the luminaries paraded onto the pitch before kick-off and ex-Denmark striker Tomasson said: “It was good to see us win the club’s 5,000th game and to see all of the legends before the game.

“I hope they enjoyed it and all the fans did too. It was great to see that amount of chances and we should probably have been 3-0 up at half-time, so it was frustrating not to convert more of the opportunities.

“We then scored a difficult one early in the second half but Middlesbrough got one back, which I think the referee and his assistant will be disappointed by when they look back at it because
their player was totally alone three metres from goal and was offside.

“It was then a tough period for us.

“Their goal changed the momentum after all those chances we had missed, but we play football for the fans because they pay a lot of money and you have to give them something back, so I would rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0.”

Midfielder Szmodics’ brace took his tally for the season to four, with Tomasson confessing that such a haul is a boost after a summer in which Rovers lost attacking duo Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack.

He added: “Sammie went close to his first hat-trick in a Rovers shirt and he’s started this season on fire for us. That’s important because we haven’t got a proven goalscorer in the squad, so everybody needs to chip in.”

Boro more than played their part in an absorbing and pulsating contest, but have now collected just one point from their opening six games and, including last season’s two-legged play-off defeat to Coventry, have failed to win any of their last 11 league matches – a sequence that equals the club’s longest outside of top-flight football since January 1925.

Manager Michael Carrick insisted, though, that the mood in his squad remains “good”.

“The changing room was quiet after the game, but it’s not a horrible atmosphere by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “The mood is good.

“We’re not hiding from the fact that we need to get results, but there’s spirit and inner-belief in the group. It’s easy when people are telling me that I’m fantastic and the players that they are fantastic, but we knew a tough time would come at some point.

“Then, it’s how you deal with it and overcome it and, although this was an open game that probably suited them, I think we have controlled a lot of the other matches and it wouldn’t have taken much to tip the scales and turn the results in our favour.

“There were chances everywhere in this game and I thought we were right in it in the second half, but we are having to come back from setbacks too much at the moment.”

Midfielder Sammie Szmodics grabbed his second brace of the season to ensure Blackburn’s 5,000th league game ended in a 2-1 home win against Middlesbrough.

Matt Crooks gave bottom-of-the-table Boro hope with a 55th-minute reply but, including last season’s two-legged play-off final defeat to Coventry, the Teessiders have now gone 11 games without a league win, equalling the club’s longest sequence outside the top flight since January 1925.

The game kicked off amid a mood of celebration as the hosts commemorated the landmark occasion by welcoming a series of club legends onto the pitch.

Among them were Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry, former PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played for England at the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals.

Rovers appeared buoyed by that reception and Tyrhys Dolan should have opened the scoring less than two minutes in, but he headed over an empty goal after Callum Brittain’s pinpoint right-wing cross had taken Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng out of the equation.

The Senegal international was in the right position to parry away from Lewis Travis shortly afterwards.

Jonny Howson went on to fire too high with the visitors’ first attempt of the afternoon at the midway point of the half, before Szmodics fittingly grabbed the game’s opener just after fans had begun clapping on the half-hour mark in memory of PA announcer Matt Sillitoe, who tragically passed away last month at the age of 30.

After Sam Gallagher stepped over a forward pass by Hayden Carter, the ex-Peterborough midfielder swept a strike inside Dieng’s right-hand post from the edge of the box.

Boro rallied, with Marcus Forss forcing a smart near-post save from Aynsley Pears, while Emmanuel Latte Lath should have done better with two great headed chances from Howson dead-ball deliveries, directing the first wastefully wide and the second tamely at the home keeper.

An unchallenged Gallagher also missed the target for Rovers with another aerial opportunity from six yards on the stroke of half-time.

Dieng then had to be alert to deny Dolan just 25 seconds after the restart following a Szmodics right-wing raid, but the latter extended the lead in the 49th minute.

Receiving the ball from Ryan Hedges, Szmodics drilled a 20-yard effort that Dieng could only help into the top corner.

Boro refused to surrender, though, with Crooks cleverly flicking in from six yards from Forss’ cross to reduce the deficit.

After Dieng made a double save to deny Adam Wharton and Dolan, Boro then missed three great chances to level, with Latte Lath ballooning over, Forss prodding wide and Darragh Lenihan heading too high.

As the match continued to swing from end to end, Dieng displayed more sharp reflexes to deny Hedges twice and make a one-on-one stop to prevent Szmodics from claiming the match ball.

The profligate Latte Lath, meanwhile, burst clear on goal at the death, only for his heavy touch to gift Pears the chance to snatch the ball off his feet.

Gareth Ainsworth thinks QPR are ready to surprise the Championship after beating winless Middlesbrough 2-0 to leave them bottom of the table.

Andre Dozzell’s thunderbolt opener that crashed in off the inside of the post two minutes before half-time put Rangers on track for a second win of the season. It was his first in two years with the club.

And with 19 minutes remaining former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback added the second on Teesside when he fired in through a crowded area.

Ainsworth, who did not add to his squad on transfer deadline day, thinks he has seen enough already this season to suggest QPR are going to make an impact on the division.

“The enjoyment comes from getting what you deserve, over the last three or four weeks,” said Ainsworth.

“I have had a good look at myself. How I want to play. And the boys are buying into the identity. They have emptied the tank for us.

“You can put the systems in place but you can’t always get them to empty the tank. These boys are a real team for me.

“I did a little graph before the game and showed them where I want them to go, they have bought into this upward curve. I have just said this isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s been sensational and two great goals.

“As a man who shoots from distance, Andre’s goal eclipsed my goals, that was so special.

“I’m really pleased for him, and I hope he takes a leaf out of Jack’s book of two in two – that’s one player we didn’t sign for his goalscoring quality.”

While Ainsworth was impressed, Boro counterpart Michael Carrick was left wondering how his side are still searching for a first league win. Middlesbrough have claimed just one point from 15.

Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien, signed on loan from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively, both made second-half debuts for Middlesbrough but QPR claimed the points.

Middlesbrough, last season’s play-off semi-finalists, signed 12 players during the summer window, so the squad has a completely different feel to it.

One of those newcomers, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, was denied a goal on numerous occasions by QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

Carrick said: “I’m disappointed really. We didn’t help ourselves for spells in the game, we had big chances as well, opportunities to score. We will accept it wasn’t good enough in general, that’s clear but at the same point we had the chances to take.

“We can’t keep saying it, we have to do something about it. I’m disappointed for the players, supporters, it’s not great for them to see that. Players have to find a way to get that spark back that we lacked today.

“Missing chances is part of it, the fact we are making a lot, clear-cut ones as well. Sometimes there is a spell when they don’t fall for you, but it is up to us to do something about it and make sure it doesn’t happen.

“We are having really big chances. That gives us a lot of confidence.

“There were a few things, we didn’t start as well as we could have. There are reasons we will have to look at. A slow start to the game made it harder, we were chasing after that. There were moments when we looked good and it was a mixed bag.”

Andre Dozzell’s first goal for QPR helped secure a 2-0 victory that leaves winless Middlesbrough at the foot of the Sky Bet Championship.

Dozzell’s powerful strike from outside the area two minutes before half-time put Gareth Ainsworth’s side in command at the Riverside.

And the 24-year-old midfielder, who moved to Loftus Road two years ago from Ipswich, was among the celebrations 19 minutes from time when Jack Colback hammered in the QPR’s second.

It was a much-needed second victory of the season for QPR but one that has left Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough without a win in five league games.

Neither side posed a threat to either of the goalkeepers in the opening exchanges, despite QPR finding the space down the flanks.

Ilias Chair, who remained at QPR despite reported transfer window interest from Leicester, was involved down the left a couple of times in the opening few minutes.

The Morocco international was able to get to the byline and pick out a team-mate in the area on both occasions without troubling former Rs keeper Seny Dieng’s net.

When QPR did push forward through Chair, Kenneth Paal or Paul Smyth down the opposite flank, Middlesbrough were alert to prevent shots hitting the target.

And it was a similar story in the opposite direction, where Isaiah Jones, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Rogers looked the most likely to create something early on for the hosts.

But the only real chance of note in the first 40 minutes was when Jones controlled a Silvera pass before his shot was stopped by the foot of Asmir Begovic.

That arrived in the 25th minute and Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath was also denied by Begovic 10 minutes later when he tried to beat him from a tight angle.

Smyth highlighted what danger he could pose when he worked his way into the area from the right and his low delivery across the six-yard box was crying out for Sinclair Armstrong to stretch to meet the ball, but it evaded him.

Another Smyth run caused panic in the home defence seconds before Dozzell found himself in loads of space 25 yards from goal. The midfielder’s thunderous drive crashed in off the left-hand post to put QPR ahead.

And in the sixth minute of stoppage time Begovic dived to his right to turn away a downward Darragh Lenihan header from Jonny Howson’s free-kick to keep the visitors in front.

After the restart frustrations started to grow for Middlesbrough.

Lath, who had already been denied by Begovic again, wasted a fantastic situation when Boro had a three-against-one on a counter-attack. QPR were gifted the ball, broke and Dieng prevented Sinclair from scoring at the other end.

Middlesbrough handed second-half appearances to new signings Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien following loan moves from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively.

And Begovic was on hand once more to prevent Lath scoring after the striker linked up with Silvera in the penalty area on the hour.

Soon after a phantom whistle brought a short interruption in play, QPR had the important second goal.

Smyth again got to the line and beyond full-back Lukas Engel. His low cross led to Chair’s shot being blocked before former Newcastle and Sunderland midfielder Colback powered his drive into the net, and there was no way back for Boro after that.

Manager Michael Carrick praised Middlesbrough’s “spirit and togetherness” after stoppage-time goals from substitutes Riley McGree and Morgan Rogers sealed a 3-1 Carabao Cup comeback win at Bolton.

Dion Charles celebrated his new contract extension by giving the League One outfit a 23rd-minute lead.

Matt Crooks equalised 10 minutes later but it took Boro until the first minute of stoppage time to grab a deserved lead and avoid a penalty shootout.

Three minutes later Rogers netted his first goal since a summer move from Manchester City to seal only a second win of the campaign for the Teessiders.

“I am delighted for the players and delighted for the supporters,” said Carrick of his side’s second-half domination.

“Even if we hadn’t got that goal at the end everyone could see how well the boys had played.

“It summed up how we have started the season with things not dropping for us. But the boys stuck at it, kept believing and found a way.

“It looked like only a matter of time and so it proved to be. It shows the spirit and togetherness in the group which considering results doesn’t always prove the case.”

Wanderers boss Ian Evatt, whose side are now without a win in three, insisted: “I thought we were the better team in the first half.

“We had good control for large spells. They scored slightly against the run of play.

“In the second half what happens when you don’t manage the ball, you are out of possession for long periods.

“A bit like we do to teams in our own division eventually you get fatigued.

“Against the best teams you get picked off. There are lots of positives to be taken and lots of lessons to be learned.”

Substitutes Riley McGree and Morgan Rogers scored stoppage-time goals to steer Middlesbrough into round three of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 comeback win at League One Bolton.

Australian ace McGree had only been on the pitch five minutes before rounding off sustained Boro pressure with a superb low left-foot finish.

Rogers, a summer signing from Manchester City, completed a deserved win for Michael Carrick’s Championship side with his first goal for the club.

The game started promisingly for Bolton in this repeat of the 2004 League Cup final.

Fresh from signing a new contract extension, Northern Ireland international Dion Charles gave Wanderers a 23rd-minute lead after Tom Glover could only parry Josh Sheehan’s shot.

The home lead only lasted 10 minutes as Matt Crooks lofted Paddy McNair’s through ball past Joel Coleman for his first goal since last April.

Coleman, injured at the end of the first half, didn’t reappear for the second which produced more bookings (5) than chances until the closing stages.

Sub goalie Nathan Baxter saved from Samuel Silvera and then brilliantly tipped McNair’s piledriver onto the bar.

But Boro’s pressure finally told with the late double from McGree and Rogers, giving the visitors only a second win of the campaign.

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick was left to rue what he deemed to be a foul in the build-up to West Brom’s opening goal as Boro were beaten 4-2 at The Hawthorns.

Carrick’s winless side, who reached the Championship play-offs last season, suffered their third defeat in four matches after going down to Carlos Corberan’s Baggies.

The hosts took control of the match with two goals in quick succession midway through the first half, but Carrick bemoaned referee Jeremy Simpson’s decision to not award a free-kick to Jonny Howson prior to Cedric Kipre opening the scoring.

“It’s a big moment,” Carrick said.

“It’s hard not to get too frustrated, but I thought it was a clear two-handed push. You’re going to suffer things which go against you over a season. I’m not going to sit here and say everything is fantastic because we haven’t won yet, but equally there’s more to it than that.”

Although Middlesbrough, who had Tommy Smith sent off just after half-time following a second booking, have begun the season slowly, Carrick remains encouraged with many aspects of what he has seen from his team, which is still finding its feet after the loss of top scorers Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer over the course of the summer.

Carrick added: “I feel for the boys. There are two sides of it – there’s the result which you can’t hide from, but it’s what happens within that which leads to the result.

“We’ve conceded four shots on target, and four goals. One is a foul, one was a mistake and for a large part I thought there were a lot of good things. We have finished the game strong with 10 men. I was encouraged by things I’m seeing – it’s a strange feeling in many ways.

“You can’t hide from it, but it doesn’t knock my belief in the boys in the squad. We keep doing a lot of things we’re doing and the results will come.”

West Brom quickly backed up Kipre’s 22nd-minute opener with John Swift’s superb 27th-minute thunderbolt, but Boro replied a minute later through Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Albion struck quickly in the second period through Brandon Thomas-Asante before Smith was sent off and, although Boro responded again via Marcus Forss’ late penalty, Jeremy Sarmiento sealed the points in stoppage time for the hosts.

Despite making it two wins from two at home this season, Baggies boss Corberan still sees room for improvement in his side.

“It was hard for me, emotionally, to see that we were better than them at 2-0 and you go to 2-1. We need to control better some moments of the game, in some areas of the pitch, to stop conceding goals that we need to avoid,” he said.

“At 3-1, we were allowed to be more dominant in attack without hurting them, and the red card meant we had a numerical advantage. Sometimes when you have the ball so much, you lose concentration. We started to relax in defence.

“In some moments they found ways to create chances against us. This is something I want to correct, because I want a strong team in attack and a strong team in defence. The fact that we score goals doesn’t mean anything.”

Head coach Michael Carrick is remaining calm despite the fact Middlesbrough are still looking for their first win of the Championship season following a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at the Riverside.

Boro made the Championship play-offs last season and are targeting another promotion push this term but lost their first two games of the campaign without scoring a goal.

But Carrick felt his side were much improved in the home draw with the Terriers, with Hayden Hackney rescuing a point for Boro with a stunning 61st-minute strike to cancel out Dael Fry’s own goal two minutes into the second half.

Boro, who sold last season’s Championship golden boot winner Chuba Akpom to Ajax this week, handed debuts to striker Emmanuel Latte Lath and left-back Lukas Engel.

Young summer signings Rav van den Berg, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Rogers were also in the XI and Carrick believes his team will get better and better as the new recruits find their feet.

“I thought it was a really encouraging performance to be honest,” he said.

“It was a really tough game. They’re a good team and really make you work for a result. The way they play, they’re really effective and tough to play against.

“I thought we did a lot of good things in the game, looked dangerous and created chances and probably, definitely, should have scored more goals.

“It’s kind of the way it’s going for us, we’re doing some good things and getting punished for things we should maybe do better but now and again you get away with.

“Things just aren’t quite dropping as nice as they might do but I’m really encouraged.

“At 1-0 down it can be frustrating, you can get anxious and doubt yourself but I thought the boys were terrific and should have gone on to win the game with the chances and how well we finished.”

Boro started well and had the better of the first half but Town had their moments, with Brahima Diarra hitting the post.

The Terriers burst out of the blocks after the restart and had chances to double their lead after the opener but after Hackney’s brilliant equaliser Boro were the better side and Aussie winger Silvera had a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time but skewed his effort over the bar.

Huddersfield, like Boro, are still winless and Warnock had mixed emotions after the draw against his former club.

He said: “There’s disappointment but at the end it’s relief when they had a couple of great chances.

“We got it right at half-time and in the first 20 minutes of the second half it was as good as we’ve played and that’s when you have to score your goals.

“That’s been the story of quite a few games, not taking our chances and giving silly goals away.

“We haven’t got the facilities to bring in the top players so we just have to get on with what we’ve got, not moan and enjoy it.

“I’m going to enjoy it. The lads did me proud. If we carry on like that, we’ll get some points this year. We can go anywhere and give them a game.”

Middlesbrough started life without last season’s Championship Player of the Year and top scorer Chuba Akpom with a 1-1 draw against Huddersfield at the Riverside Stadium.

Midfielder Hayden Hackney scored a stunner just after the hour mark to rescue a point for Michael Carrick’s side, cancelling out Dael Fry’s own goal 14 minutes earlier, with the draw meaning both Boro and the Terriers are still looking for their first win of the Championship season.

Former Arsenal striker Akpom this week completed a £12million move to Dutch giants Ajax on the back of his stunning 29-goal campaign for Carrick’s side last season.

Boro’s bid to find goals in Akpom’s absence led them to Emmanuel Latte Lath, who joined from Atalanta this week and made his debut against Town as did fellow new arrival Lukas Engel.

But the pair were denied a winning start by the Terriers and their returning manager Neil Warnock, who was back at the Riverside for the first time since he was sacked in November 2021.

Boro had lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2007 but made a bright start, with Latte Lath keen to impress. The Ivorian had two efforts on goal inside the first six minutes.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic in the opening stages, however.

Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng did well to claw away a Matty Pearson volley after 10 minutes before Brahima Diarra got a shot away on the swivel inside the six-yard box that clipped the outside of the post eight minutes later.

The Terriers made a dream start to the second period, taking the lead less than two minutes after the resumption when Sorba Thomas’ corner from the left was turned into his own net by Fry at the front post.

Thomas’ deliveries were causing problems and Town pushed for a second, with the home defence looking shaken and vulnerable.

It took Boro 10 minutes or so to settle after falling behind and Aussie winger Sammy Silvera lifted the Riverside crowd with a shot that clipped the top of the bar.

Ex-Manchester City forward Morgan Rogers went close on the hour mark after a fine individual run only to be denied by Lee Nicholls.

But there was nothing the Huddersfield keeper could do to keep out Hackney’s effort a minute later.

There looked to be little danger for Town when the midfielder received the ball on the left edge of the area but the 21-year-old shifted it on to his right foot and hit a thunderbolt into the top corner.

Boro had a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time but Silvera skied his effort inside the box.

Manager Mark Robins believes Coventry are a club with a new lease of life despite the loss of key players in the summer after they impressively picked up their first win of the season against Middlesbrough.

Last season was the Sky Blues’ most successful in a number of years, following Doug King’s takeover of the club.

It ultimately ended with the heartbreak of defeat on penalties against Luton in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, a long-awaited return to the Premier League so near and yet so far.

They have since seen Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer depart for Sporting Lisbon and Sheffield United respectively, but their display against the team they beat in the play-off semi-finals in May suggested a bright future.

Robins said: “It was an important game today for the players and for the supporters as well, not least because we’ve got a load of new players in.

“That feeling of winning at home is really important, the dressing rooms have changed – the owner has spent a load of money on the stadium, on the pitch, in the changing room area.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, it feels so much better, the training ground pitches have been done, so the whole club feels like there’s a breath of fresh air running through it and that’s brilliant.

“The two players that have left have obviously given us a headache but also an opportunity and that’s been backed by Doug as well.

“Thankfully we are in the throes of a recruitment drive and now we’ve lost Gus we’re looking at what we can do next to fill the void but also to give us the squad depth that we crave.”

Coventry were ahead after 11 minutes when Josh Eccles’ shot deflected into the path of Matty Godden, who instinctively finished into the bottom corner.

Middlesbrough were poor in the first half, but enjoyed a good spell after the break, with Isaiah Jones shooting into the side netting before Sammy Silvera somehow blazed Morgan Rogers’ cross over from close range.

It was one of Robins’ new recruits who doubled the Sky Blues’ lead in the 70th minute as USA international Haji Wright smashed in his first goal for the club following Kasey Palmer’s corner.

An excellent afternoon for the hosts was rounded off in stoppage time when Boro defender Darragh Lenihan deflected Godden’s cross into his own net.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, who looks set to lose 29-goal top scorer from last season Chuba Akpom in the near future, said: “It obviously wasn’t a 3-0 game.

“We’ve done a number of good things during the game, they’re obviously a good team, it was a tight game for spells, and they had a little bit extra in the end.

“Obviously, goals change games and we weren’t quite able to take the chances we created.

“We’ve got to be better but at the same point the first one was a deflection that fell to him (Godden), the third goal was a deflection and the corner’s the corner we need to defend better.

“There’s a balance between judging a game and knowing where we’re at and being disappointed and knowing where we need to improve, but at the same point the bigger picture is it’s a long
season.

“We’ve got long enough to put things right.”

USA international Haji Wright opened his account for Coventry as they beat Middlesbrough 3-0 to pick up their first win of the season at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

It represented the perfect start to life without Gustavo Hamer for the Sky Blues after one of the key figures of their run to last season’s Championship play-off final departed for Sheffield United on Friday night.

It was Hamer’s goal that defeated Middlesbrough in the semi-finals of those play-offs back in May and this was another day where Michael Carrick’s side fired blanks as they fell to a second straight loss in the new campaign.

A perfectly timed challenge by Coventry centre-back Bobby Thomas on Morgan Rogers got the home crowd on their feet in the early stages, after Hayden Hackney’s tame effort had been blocked.

The noise levels only increased when the Sky Blues took the lead in the 11th minute, with Josh Eccles’ shot deflecting into the path of Matty Godden, who steered the ball into the bottom corner.

With the hosts’ tails up, Jay Dasilva tried to add a quick second but could not direct his effort from outside the area on target.

Godden then almost doubled up when his low curler had to be pushed out by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng, with Milan van Ewijk putting the follow-up wide.

Middlesbrough struggled to find a reply, with the sight of Coventry skipper Kyle McFadzean easily brushing off the advancing Sammy Silvera summing up the balance of play.

Ellis Simms had a chance to put the Sky Blues two ahead when he was picked out in the area by Eccles, only to shoot straight at Dieng, but it was a deserved lead for the home side at half-time.

It was almost wiped out just over three minutes into the second half, however, when Rogers shot wide after a dangerous run that took him into the 18-yard box.

That moment began a much better spell for ‘Boro, with Isaiah Jones shooting into the side netting before Silvera should have equalised when he blazed Rogers’ cut-back over from close range.

Finnish striker Marcus Forss was brought on by Carrick and almost struck with his first touch when he poked Paddy McNair’s cross straight at Coventry ‘keeper Ben Wilson.

Wright had also been introduced by this point and it was he who doubled Coventry’s lead in the 70th minute, against the run of play, when he blasted home after Kasey Palmer’s corner was cleared into his path.

A terrific afternoon for the Sky Blues was then embroidered in stoppage time as Godden was found in space out on the right and his cross was deflected into his own net by ‘Boro defender Darragh Lenihan.

Michael Carrick praised his Middlesbrough side’s control as they ran out 3-2 winners over 10-man Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup first round.

Kian Harratt gave Huddersfield an early lead but they had Jaheim Headley sent off in the 13th minute.

And Boro took full advantage with goals from Samuel Silvera, Isiah Jones and Riley McGree before Kyle Hudlin’s late consolation.

Carrick said: “I was happy with the game. It was a little bit of a test going behind and it was interesting to see how the boys coped with the setback. I’ve got to take responsibility for the first goal.

“As the game went on we took control and made the extra man count. We looked dangerous and had a good balance in the performance. All in all, there were a number of things that made it a good night.”

Carrick rallied behind 19-year-old Rav van den Berg, whose mistake led to the opener for Huddersfield.

The former Manchester United and England midfielder said: “We’ve asked them to play out from the back, we’ve had a lot of success playing that way so far. We’ve got no problems conceding that way and I was really happy with the reaction.”

Town manager Neil Warnock had no complaints about the red card and drew the positives from his side’s performance.

“Nobody let me down tonight,” he said.

“There were a lot of plusses. The crowd was very good. All the way through the lads gave me everything.

“It would have been a very interesting game with 11 men because I felt we could get at them a little more tonight.

“Jordan Rhodes did a super job moving into midfield and it was nice for the big man Kyle Hudlin to score at the end too.

“Everyone feels we’re going to be underdogs this season. I want us to try and enjoy games now. They’ve enjoyed working hard tonight and for that, you can forgive them.”

Middlesbrough marched into the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 victory at 10-man Huddersfield.

Kian Harratt gave the hosts an early lead but Jaheim Headley’s 13th-minute red card handed Boro the initiative.

And goals from Samuel Silvera, Isiah Jones and Riley McGree wrapped up victory for Michael Carrick’s visitors before Kyle Hudlin’s late consolation.

Huddersfield led inside four minutes a Harratt pounced on a Boro defensive error and fired home his first senior goal.

But Town’s hopes were hit when last man Headley bundled Isiah Jones over and was given his marching orders.

Carrick’s side drew level in the 20th minute when Silvera’s shot struck both posts on its way in.

After the break, Martin Payero came close to poking Boro in front after some uncertain Town defending.

And the visitors took the lead in the 63rd minute as an inspired threaded pass from Dan Barlaser found Jones, who flicked the ball past onrushing goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.

Substitute McGree added a third with eight minutes left when he cut on to his right foot and fired low past Maxwell.

Hudlin headed home in the fourth minute of added time but Boro held on to progress into the second round.

Gary Rowett is happy for Millwall to continue flying under the radar in their quest for a Championship play-off spot after starting the season with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Romain Esse’s 79th-minute strike secured victory at the Riverside for the Lions, who missed out on a top-six place on the final day of last term after their capitulation in a home defeat to Blackburn.

The Lions have strengthened with the addition of five senior players this summer, yet when most pundits were making predictions of who would be challenging for promotion this campaign, Millwall rarely featured on their lists.

Rowett accepts that his club might not have as high a profile as some of their Championship rivals, but is hoping they once again punch above their perceived weight over the course of the next nine months.

Rowett said: “It doesn’t bother us – we enjoy that underdog tag. We’ve had four seasons where we’ve been very, very close to the play-offs, and the last two seasons have gone to the last game.

“If people write us off, maybe that’s people who haven’t looked at our squad. I think we’ve strengthened well and I think we’ve got a good squad.

“If you look at this division, it’s always easy to pick the big-name teams or the teams that have come down from the Premier League, and I understand that. Nine times out of 10, those teams bounce back up because they have the quality and the resources.

“I’d expect a club like Middlesbrough to be ahead of us in people’s thoughts of what’s going to happen at the end of the season, but that doesn’t stop us from being what we are.

“People label Millwall a certain way, but if you look at today, yes we defended diligently, yes we transitioned well, but we actually played some really good football as well and we’ve got some talented players.”

That talent was apparent in Millwall’s winning goal, with two young substitutes combining to unlock the Middlesbrough defence.

Aidomo Emakhu skipped clear down the left to slide over a low cross and Esse produced a composed curled finish to claim his first senior goal.

The result was a setback for Middlesbrough, who continue to pursue a new left-back and centre-forward ahead of the transfer deadline.

Michael Carrick accepts his side looked short in the final third, although he did not want to attribute the final result to a lack of transfer activity in the last couple of weeks.

Carrick said: “It’s disappointing. We came here to try to win the game, but in the first game of the season, sometimes you don’t really know what to expect.

“I think we had good players on that pitch, who were capable of playing in a good team and playing well. They were capable of scoring goals and creating goals.

“Just because we lost the game, it doesn’t always mean what people might label it with. The players are definitely good enough. It doesn’t stop us from wanting to improve, but it’s an easy throwaway thing to say that because we didn’t win and we didn’t score, we need (new) players to get to where we want to be.

“I would like to add players, but I’m really happy with the players we’ve got in the squad.”