The refereeing decision which frustrated Neil Warnock as Middlesbrough boss admits side were off the pace against Birmingham

Blues forward Scott Hogan scored the only goal of the game in the 26th minute, yet the visitors could be deemed fortunate that midfielder Ivan Sanchez wasn’t sent off for kicking out at Paddy McNair when the game was goalless.

Boro welcomed back several first-team players who missed last weekend’s game at Brentford after a Covid-19 outbreak at the club.

"It's not very often I have to have a go but the first half wasn't good enough,” admitted Warnock after the match. “I know we've got one or two excuses but it just wasn't good enough.

"For two of three of the lads that was their first training session yesterday and we couldn't get on the grass because of a frozen pitch.

"We've had two weeks of hell and there are so many excuses we can give, but that doesn't stop you from competing.

On the Sanchez incident, the Boro boss added: "When you come up against a physical team like that you expect a referee to be able to handle it and he should have sent the lad off.”

“We can see it where we are. He's lashed out at him Sanchez and how they can't send him off I don't know.

“There are four of them there. We can see it clearly. Surely one of the four can see it. They can see a foul throw but they can't see someone lashing out like that.

“To rub salt into the wound, Sanchez made the goal. It’s double disappointment.”

Warnock will now hope for a reaction from his side when Boro travel to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

"We didn't train yesterday. Three of the lads came in for the first time in 10 to 14 days,” added Warnock. “We couldn't get on the pitch. It was too hard to be safe, We haven't been able to do anything.

"I'll give them an excuse today but there are no excuses now, we've got three games a week for the foreseeable future.

“Hopefully we get back into the swing of things.”

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