Woodwork denies Ipswich

Boksic shoots at goal for Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough 0-0 Ipswich Town

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Both teams had ample chances to take all the points at the Riverside but a combination of excellent goalkeeping and the Middlesbrough woodwork ensured an entertaining encounter finished goalless.

Ipswich's Jamie Clapham, Jermaine Wright and Mark Venus were all thwarted by Mark Crossley, while Pablo Counago and Hermann Hreidarsson were both denied by the Boro woodwork.

Boro's Carlos Marinelli, Alen Boksic and Ugo Ehiogu either squandered good chances or failed to beat Matteo Sereni.

  Key moments

15 mins: Southgate blocks Wright's volley

35 mins: Penalty appeal turned down after Queudrue challenges Bent

52 mins: Crossley saves from Clapham

55 mins: Marinelli and Boksic denied by Sereni

73 mins: Counago hits the post

81 mins: Hreidarsson heads against the crossbar

The result means that Ipswich remain bottom of the Premier League table while Boro have now kept four clean sheets in their last six Premiership games.

Boro, unchanged from the team that drew 0-0 with Villa, had the opening chance of the game but Marinelli's first-minute free-kick flew over Sereni's crossbar.

Boro continued to press forward and caused problems down the flanks, with Franck Queudrue knocking some dangerous balls into the Town penalty.

But it was Ipswich who almost took the lead after 14 minutes.

Alun Armstrong headed a deep Clapham cross back across goal for Wright to volley at goal.

Boro defender Gareth Southgate averted the danger with a brilliant block and the ball went out for a corner.

Encouraged by Wright's effort, Ipswich enjoyed a sustained spell of possession.

Crossley failed to collect a Jamie Clapham cross but Hreidarsson headed over the bar.

Controversial decision

Ipswich had a strong penalty appeal turned down after 35 minutes when Queudrue appeared to shove Ipswich debutant Marcus Bent.

And Mark Venus nearly broke the deadlock minutes before the break but his left-footed long-range strike was deflected wide for a corner.

But Ugo Ehiogu should have scored for Boro in first-half injury-time but he headed over when unmarked from six yards.

Bent made his Ipswich debut

Clapham forced a good save from Crossley after 52 minutes before Boro had two good chances in the space of a minute.

Marinelli was denied by Sereni before the Boro forward crossed for Boksic to shoot, but Sereni made another excellent save.

As the match wore on Ipswich assumed the ascendancy and twice his the Boro woodwork.

Substitute Counago defeated Ehiogu and beat Crossley only for his placed shot to rebound off the post.

Clapham crossed for Hreidarsson but the Icelandic international could only head against the crossbar.

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Middlesbrough: Crossley, Southgate, Ehiogu, Stockdale, Queudrue, Greening, Marinelli, Johnston, Mustoe, Nemeth, Boksic.
Subs: Beresford, Windass, Wilson, Cooper, Hudson.

Ipswich: Sereni, Hreidarsson, Makin, Bramble, Venus, Clapham, Holland, Wright, Marcus Bent, Armstrong, Peralta.
Subs: Counago, Naylor, Branagan, Tommy Miller, Gaardsoe.

Referee: D Pugh (Bebington).