Can Boro handle the pressure of chasing promotion?

KIM Hellberg admits his Middlesbrough players have to handle the pressure of the promotion race and expectation better with signs they were struggling at Blackburn Rovers.

- By CRAIG JOHNS

Boro were united at Ewood Park

(PHIL OLDHAM/SHUTTERSTOCK)

Sitting second in the table with seven games to go, expectations have risen for Boro. But, with only four wins in their last ten games, the pressure is on as Ipswich Town and Millwall battle for the second automatic promotion place.

For Boro, their struggle to score when teams play the low block has proved a particular issue of late. That was the story again as they dropped more points at Ewood Park on Saturday.

While Boro have generally created a lot of chances and just struggled with finishing, there was a difference at Blackburn, as they squandered good openings. On top of that, Hellberg was concerned with how his side lost their control and went away from their usual game in the final 20 minutes.

"The frustrating thing is in the second half we didn't do what we did in the first half as well," Hellberg said after. "Perhaps we need to handle things better. When the frustrations began, we started to do different things.