Tony Pulis blasts Mo Besic red card decision as Middlesbrough held to draw

Boro, who are now six points off the automatic promotion places, dominated the opening exchanges as they looked to bounce back from defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.

But the game was turned on its head when Besic was dismissed after just 21 minutes - in a decision which left Pulis less than pleased.

While the Boro boss agree with the decision, he was left perplexed by the fact officials positioned on the halfway line made the call rather than the referee.

"I thought we were the better team up until the sending off," Pulis admitted.

"The referee doesn't send him off, it's the fourth official and the linesman on our side.

"I'll say it now, Besic does pull his shirt. But I believe our goalkeeper is getting to the ball first, before their lad, and it's a yellow card not a sending off.

"How they make that decision from that distance, and a decision which ultimately changed the game, is beyond me.

"I think you've got to be 110% sure that you're stopping him from scoring a clear-cut chance."

Middlesbrough's misery was then compounded further when Charlie Mulgrew curled home a free-kick to hand Rovers the lead.

But Boro rallied, and were level after the break when Britt Assombalonga curled home a fine effort from distance to seal a point.