Match Report: Boro 1 West Brom 1

Boro kicked-off the new Championship season with a point at home to well-fancied West Bromwich Albion.

Isaiah Jones gave Chris Wilder's side a first-half lead before the visitors hit back to equalise courtesy of John Swift.

The game was played out in front of almost 27,000, the biggest crowd for a first home game since Boro were last in the Premier League.

It was the visitors who had the first opportunity when Zack Steffen made a terrific save to flip a speculative effort from Jed Wallace over the bar, but the home side went on to dominate the opening period.

The first goal of the new season came on the 10-minute mark and the Riverside erupted. Jonny Howson won the ball before feeding Ryan Giles. He linked up with Chuba Akpom and Jones raced in to convert the cross with some aplomb.

Boro had the ball in the net again eight minutes later when Jones played in Duncan Watmore, but the celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Boro were dominating possession and Baggies goalkeeper David Button had to react quickly to punch away a cross from McGree. Both Marc Bola and Duncan Watmore also tried their luck from distance with shots which went over the bar, and Akpom also had an effort blocked.

Referee Tony Harrington waved away Boro shouts for a penalty on the half-hour after Riley McGree and Jake Livermore tangled in the box.

Giles was a real threat for Boro with his delivery once again, and he provided Watmore with a real opportunity to double the advantage before half-time, but the striker couldn’t keep his shot down.

Button was called upon to get down well to deny Bola, whose drive clipped off a West Brom defender as Wilder’s men looked to add to their advantage before the half-time whistle.

It was West Brom who drew blood just five minutes into the second half when Wallace escaped down the right before pulling the ball back into the middle for the onrushing John Swift to equalise.

After a quiet opening period, Steffen was called upon twice in the space of a minute after the Baggies goal. He came out quickly to deny Swift and followed that by reacting well to punch clear a ball into the box.

As the game ticked past the hour-mark, Wilder made a double change with new signing Marcus Forss coming on for his debut alongside Josh Coburn to replace Akpom and Watmore.

Boro grew into the second half after being rocked by the West Brom goal and when Button punched a Giles corner away, and the ball fell for Howson, his deflected follow-up strike was only just off target.

When the home side threatened again, Coburn couldn’t get his shot away when he was surrounded by West Brom defenders. The visitors reacted quickly on thew counter and Steffen denied Swift a second.

Coburn was again involved when he had an effort blocked by Dara O’Shea, and McGree sent the ball over the top after some good play down the right.

Swift had a chance to nick it for West Brom with six minutes remaining, but he failed to convert from close range, Grady Diangana also unable to apply the finishing touch, and as the game went from end to end, Daryl Dike fired one into the side netting.