'Breaks my heart' - Middlesbrough and Millwall managers react after dramatic 2-1 defeat for Boro

Kim Hellberg and Alex Neil have been reacting after a dramatic day at the Riverside - with Middlesbrough beaten 2-1 by promotion rivals Millwall.

Josh Coburn scored a brace against his former club as Millwall claimed a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship victory over promotion rivals Middlesbrough. An energetic first half from the hosts saw skipper Dael Fry head them in front, but former Boro striker Coburn spearheaded the comeback for the Lions with two second-half goals. Three points means Millwall now leapfrog Middlesbrough in the table, moving into the automatic promotion spots as Boro drop into the play-off positions.

What did Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg say?

Hellberg said: “I'm really impressed by our players, a lot of them coming back (from international duty), putting up this type of performance together with the crowd. "I think that was the best first half I've seen these players play this year. It should have been done, buried after 60 minutes.

"Then they score on a throw-in, it bounces a bit and it's a good finish. They get a transition in the late stage of the game and put that one away and it's 2-1. "You have to say congratulations to them, they've had an unbelievable season."

He added: “That breaks my heart going in and seeing them (players) do everything, going to see the supporters after the performance they put up was absolutely brilliant. "The way we worked together, I love that intensity, that loudness. It breaks my heart to not be able to help them get what in my opinion we deserved, I think we were better for 80 minutes. It's in many ways ridiculous.”

What did Millwall boss Alex Neil say?

Neil said: “Certainly in the first half, I thought Middlesbrough were excellent. I thought they were far better than us. "They moved the ball really well. I thought they deserved a goal, probably should have got another one in the first half.

"When we got to half time at 1-0, I was pleased we still had an opportunity in the second half. There was a lot of talk before the game about how we were the most dominant team in there. We never won one header in our own box in the first half. Every corner that came in, they looked as if they were going to score. But, I thought second half, we showed much more composure on the ball. We took a little bit more risk on the ball."

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