Middlesbrough 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Pulis rues another forward failure by Boro

The Boro boss was left frustrated at the Riverside again last night, having failed to oversee a home win in the Championship since taking over on Boxing Day.

Boro, who have fired blanks in four of his five home dates so far, wasted numerous chances and missed out on an opportunity to reduce the gap to the top six to a point.

Pulis said: “It’s disappointing because it is another game where we have played, created six or seven clear-cut chances to score goals where we haven’t.

“That’s three or four games I have been involved in where we have thrown points away, and even against Brighton in the cup.

“The club has invested a lot of money in the forward line this year, the players at this club, we need them to come to the party.

“We look strong enough at the back, we looked creative enough, play good football at times, get lots of crosses into the box, and we get in to that final third a lot.

“We need them to be on the end of things of creating something out of nothing for themselves.

“We bring Britt Assombalonga and Patrick Bamford off and then bring Rudy Gestede and Martin Braithwaite on. There’s a hell of a lot of money that Steve Gibson has invested in this group of players and we need them to score goals.”

Middlesbrough secured the signing of England Under-21 international Jack Harrison on loan from Manchester City before the game, with City happy for him to head straight out after making his £4m move from New York City.

Pulis will not be looking to do too much other business before the transfer window closes, despite links with Everton’s Mo Besic and possible player departures.

He said: “The club have invested a lot in this squad so to ask for money to change things is not fair, even if I think it is necessary.

“I don’t think that’s right. We have to understand that. Fingers crossed we have enough, whether it is through luck or whatever, let’s hope they start scoring.

“There’s 24 hours to go, I have been in the game so long if I say no and something comes up, then I don’t want to tell any lies or pre-empt anything. We will see.”

Boro, who stayed eighth, next face on-form Norwich away on Saturday.

Middlesbrough: Randolph, Shotton, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Howson (Clayton 79), Leadbitter, Downing, Traore, Assombalonga (Braithwaite 79), Bamford (Gestede 78). Subs not used: Konstantopoulos, Fletcher, Fry, Christie

Sheffield Wed: Wildsmith, Venancio, Pudil, Thorniley, Palmer, Butterfield (Boyd 66), Reach, Pelupessy, Fox, Wallace (Nielsen 90), Lucas Joao (Nuhiu 73). Subs not used: Hunt, Jones, Rhodes, Dawson. Booked: Thorniley, Reach.

Att: 24,120Ref: James Linington (Isle of Wight).