BUBBLING Boro go first-footing at Blackpool today determined to tighten their grip on the Championship promotion spots.

Middlesbrough missed out on a share of the summit alongside Southampton on Saturday when they leaked a last-gasp goal and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Peterborough.

Boro boss Tony Mowbray admitted that sucker-punch setback “felt like a defeat,” but the point nudged Boro into second place and left them well placed to push for promotion.

The Peterborough slip came after four successive wins in December in which resurgent Boro have beaten a string of their play-off rivals to barge to the front of the pack.

However, a cautious Mowbray is warning the job is only half done.

He said: “Yes, we have done well in December and we are in the automatic promotion places going into New Year and that is always a good thing.

“The bottom line is they do not give out any awards after a good December.

“If we want to take anything from this season – and we do – then we have to keep it going.

“We have to have a good January, February, March and April and then see if come May we are still in with a shout for any awards.

“We cannot be complacent because we have had a good run.

“It is always about the next game and our next one is a tough one, Blackpool away.

“They are a good team. They have a lot of quality, especially going forward and in the attacking part of the field. They have good options up top.

“At home they are a real threat because they will always try and get at teams and we will have to deal with that, but we will go there and do what we have been doing away from home this season and give them a difficult day and try to win the game.”