TONY Mowbray reeled off a long list of frustrations after a disappointing day at the Riverside.

His enterprising side were on top for long spells, created a flurry of excellent chances and twice went ahead but then had to settle for a disappointing point after twice being pegged back to draw 2-2.

Middlesbrough are in third spot in the Championship but it was their sixth draw in nine unbeaten games at the Riverside this term – and those squandered points could prove costly come May.

The Boro boss admitted: “Yes, it is frustrating.

“We played very well, we created a lot of very good opportunities, we hit the post and their keeper made very good saves.

“We played very well, so it is frustrating to only come away with the draw. There is no getting away from that.

“We started well and deservedly went ahead but then let them back into it.

“We talked at half-time about keeping on doing what we were doing well and creating chances – and we did that.

“Then we got the second goal so it was very disappointing that, having got our noses in front again, we could not hold on and kill it off.

“So yes, it is frustrating that twice we were in front and we could not see the game out.

“That is a few times now this season we have done that.”

He added: “It was frustrating they scored their second goal while we were making a substitution.

“They took a quick throw while we were making our changes and we never got into position.

“At the end there were chasing our tails a bit and made it hard for ourselves.”

Mowbray was not the only one showing the strain.

The tension in the team threatened to bubble over several times as Scott McDonald – who scored both Boro goals to make in three in two games after an 11-match drought – exchanged angry words and appeared to blast a ball at team-mate Barry Robson over a wasted pass, then later stomped off furiously on being substituted. Nicky Bailey was furious after being floored late on after an off-the-ball incident with veteran ex-Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips.

He had to be restrained by team-mates and, still seething, was booked a few minutes later.

Mowbray said: “Scott McDonald was not happy a few times out on the pitch and he was not happy he was taken off but football is a passionate game.

“He was frustrated at coming off after scoring and I understand that.

“He was not happy – but then again, you can argue that I have not been happy for the 11 games when he didn’t score.

“Nicky Bailey was not happy either. He is a fiery character and has a will to win and you need that in players. He is like that in training.”

Despite dismay at the result, Mowbray (pictured left) admitted he was happy with Boro’s display. He added: “The result is frustrating, but not the way we played. We did well.

“There were times last year when we were leaking late goals and we had played poorly – but that was not the case against Blackpool.

“We retained the ball well, we passed it well, we got the ball forward quickly into good areas and we created a lot of chances

“Remember, Blackpool are a good team with good players.

“They were in the Premier League last year and you could see the quality in the way they moved the ball around.

“So it shows you where we are now as a team that we are frustrated at not getting all three points from a team like that.”

Boro started brightly and rattled the woodwork after seven minutes as big defender Stephen McManus hammered a header against the post from a Barry Robson free-kick.

They went ahead on 15 minutes as a neat crossfield ball from Merouane Zemmama sent Robson surging down the right to cross for McDonald to power home an eight-yard header. Blackpool equalised on 21 minutes as Boro failed to clear a ball into their box and when Gary Taylor-Fletcher cut it back, Ludovic Sylvestre slammed home through a crowd.

Boro went close again as Robson got free in the box but then blazed over from 15 yards, then soon after, McDonald had a glancing header superbly saved full length by Gilkes.

Boro continued to threaten after the break.

Their pressure finally told on 73 minutes when Rhys Williams cut into the box and squared for McDonald to flick home his second.

Again, though, Blackpool were quickly back in it with a leveller out of the blue on 77 minutes, Jonjo Shelvey poking home instinctively after Boro failed to cut out a ball into the box.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Steele, McMahon, Bates, McManus, Bennett, Robson, Bailey, Rhys Williams (Nimely 77), Zemmama (Haroun 84), Emnes, McDonald (Ogbeche 83). Subs (not used): Arca, Martin.

Booked: Bailey. Goals: McDonald 15, 73.

BLACKPOOL: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Cathcart, Crainey, Southern, Shelvey, Ferguson, Sylvestre (Clarke 75), McManaman (Kevin Phillips 71), Taylor-Fletcher (Matt Phillips 65). Subs (not used): Basham, Angel.

Booked: Baptiste. Goals: Sylvestre 21, Shelvey 78.

Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire) Attendance: 18,128