Luke Ayling left fuming at one thing that happened in Ipswich v Middlesbrough draw | OneFootball

The Boro defender disagreed with the penalty decision, which brought Ipswich Town level in the dying moments against Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough's winless run extended to seven games on Sunday with a 2-2 draw against promotion rivals Ipswich Town, but Boro fans were left feeling they should have taken all three points.

Kim Hellberg's side led twice at Portman Road through goals from David Strelec and Tommy Conway, but were pegged back both times. First, from Kasey McAteer, and then via a late Jack Clarke penalty.

Adilson Malanda was the culprit for that late penalty, as he was adjudged by referee Jarred Gillett to have wrestled George Hirst to the ground as a ball was flashed across the six-yard box.

Those in the away end felt the contact to be soft, plus the fact that the ball was already past Hirst when the foul was committed, and were feeling aggrieved when Clarke slammed the ball in to restore parity to the contest.

It meant that Middlesbrough remained fifth, three points off Ipswich in the automatic promotion places with three games to go, and with Kieran McKenna's side holding a game in hand, too, Boro are seeing their top-two hopes fade even further away.

Luke Ayling blasts "baffling" penalty decision against Middlesbrough

Speaking to BBC Tees after the game, Middlesbrough defender Luke Ayling didn't hold back when discussing the late penalty decision, which ultimately cost his side a priceless three points in the race for second place.

"We're gutted. We're angry. First half we found it tricky, but you'll always get that coming to a place like this. It's a hard place to come," he said.

"Second half, I feel we really took over the game and played really well. We pinned them in their half for long spells and scored a great goal. The penalty is a baffling decision.

"I know some fans are biased towards their own team, but I don't think there'll be one fan who goes away tonight and thinks that's a penalty. The ball is pretty much out of play before Adi even touches him.

"Okay, he might make some contact, but the ball has gone. There ain't no way he is scoring from there, and it's never a foul, it's never a penalty. In a game like that, to have that go against us, it's baffling."

The 34-year-old questioned the number of fouls given to his side throughout the game, too, feeling that, with the possession they had, they should naturally have been awarded more free kicks in the game.

Ultimately, it was a decision that everyone associated with the Riverside club has found difficult to digest, as it's all but killed their hopes of climbing above three in-form sides in the coming weeks to finish in the top two.

Middlesbrough's performance will give Kim Hellberg encouragement in the possible play-off matches

"Maybe, probably, but we can't think about it right now," Ayling added when discussing whether the draw on Sunday has effectively ended their pursuit of regaining their top-two place.

But, even if the season does peter out into an eventual top-six finish, rather than an automatic promotion finish, the performance at Portman Road should give Kim Hellberg and the Boro fans in the away end much encouragement ahead of any play-off matchups.

Middlesbrough's winless run may have extended on Sunday, but they showed enough in that performance that, even without Hayden Hackney, and with Morgan Whittaker not entering the fray until the dying moments, they can still hang with their closest rivals.

If Boro's star duo can get fully fit again, come any potential play-off games, then there'll be the belief that Kim Hellberg's side can still end up a Premier League outfit come the late May bank holiday weekend.

A return home to take on bottom club Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night will give them a good chance to get that winning feeling back at the Riverside, and from then on, it will be full steam ahead into the final couple of weeks of the regular season.