'Second spot still in play' - Boro boss Hellberg

Kim Hellberg says even if Middlesbrough end up in the Championship play-offs, nobody will want to face them.

The Boro boss insists "second is still in play" despite the late equaliser from Ipswich leaving his side three points behind second spot, having played a game more than the Tractor Boys.

The leveller came from a controversial penalty with Adilson Malanda adjudged to have held back George Hirst.

Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees: "It's tough. He (Malanda) takes a little bit of risk. I don't think he (George Hirst) can reach the ball, it's going outside of the goal.

"They are good at getting penalties. They have been all season. You see similar things all the time that are not given. It's tough to get [understand] that one. I understand the frustration.

"All we can do is not give the referee the chance to blow the whistle. There were a lot of things not going out way in terms of (decisions) today."

Middlesbrough twice led during the game but were left with only a point because of the late penalty.

Hellberg added: "It was tough when you play such a great game, we played well.

"I think we were better than Ipswich. they are a very good side and they were better than us in the first half a little bit, but we were more better in the second half.

"We played this type of game, brave, battled through, were brilliant in some moments, all without three of our best offensive players (Riley McGree, Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker) - it's tough when you don't get the win."

Boro are now without a win in seven matches and have amassed just 12 points from 12 games since they went joint top of the table in February, and Hellberg admitted: "It's important to get that winning feeling back.

"The thing that's important is staying true to yourself and working hard to get better. In all those even games we have created more than the opposition and conceded less (chances).

"This brave way of playing, over time, will get success. Sometimes you go through sticky patches and you just have to go through them. You keep working. This was a major step forward.

"Second is still in play, you never know what will happen, but if there (are play-offs) we are a strong team and an aggressive team and it's very tough to play against us.

"I've said since I came here I'm going to do everything I can to get the team to the Premier League - it's gone much better than I thought, the first year, to be honest.

"When I arrived we were third but there was six points to 16th I think. We built that feeling it could happen because we have been good enough. It increased the belief in us that we can do it, and we still can."