Dave Parnaby was fittingly in charge of the side, as those players not currently in the Academy had previously been with his section of the club.

It took a while for Boro to settle, Wolves dominating in the opening exchanges and almost taking the lead with five minutes played.

Brian Close fouled Brazilian Silas on the edge of the Boro box and Joey Gudjonsson curled a free-kick just high and wide with Ross Turnbull well beaten.

A few minutes later Jimmi Lee Jones played a defence splitting ball to Dean Sturridge, who rounded Turnbull but was forced wide, shooting into the side netting as Tony McMahon got back to cover.

Boro had a chance early on when Gary Smith started and finished a move which perhaps ought to have brought a goal.

Smith played a neat ball to Danny Reed who returned the compliment sending the tenacious midfielder through on goal, but he shot wide from 12 yards.

Joey Gudjonsson scored a spectacular free-kick for Aston Villa at the Riverside last season and it was the Icelandic Under-21 international who made the breakthrough last night.

There looked to be no danger as the ball was played to him, but he shot low into bottom right right-hand corner from the edge of the area with 17 minutes played.

Just short of the half hour mark Gudjonsson almost made it two when selling Reed a dummy and cutting inside, launching an effort Roberto Carlos would have been proud of just wide from 40 yards.

Wolves made two changes at the break, but it was Boro's change of formation which had a more telling affect.

Moving from 4-3-3 to 4-3-2-1, it was a different looking Boro in the second half.

Tony McMahon saw a half chance from a narrow angle saved by keeper Matt Murray at his near post wit 51 minutes played and that was the start of a period of Boro dominance which lasted for most of the second period.

With 69 minutes gone a Chris Brunt free-kick on the right picked out Jason Kennedy at the back post. He took the ball down well, beat his marker but shot into side netting.

But the equaliser Boro deserved finally came 12 minutes from time.

Wolves' defenders dwelt in possession and Smith determined to get ball, nipped in and threaded an excellent pass through to Danny Graham, who slotted it low into bottom corner.

Graham had a chance to win the game eight minutes later, but from virtually the same position he saw Murray produce a fine save with a low block.

Teams

Wolves: Murray; Townsend, Bradley, Ingimarsson, Okoronkwo, Clingan, Kachloul, Gudjonsson, Sturridge, Jones (Mulligan 46), Silas (Gobern 46). Unused subs: Ikeme (gk); Watson, Lowe.

Middlesbrough: Turnbull; Close, Taylor, Bates, McMahon, Liddle, Reed (Kennedy 64), Smith, Graham, Nordgren (Craddock 71), Brunt. Unused subs: Knight (gk); van Geele.

Attendance: 842

Action from the game can be seen on Boro TV's News Extra programme tonight. The programme, presented by Claire Wilson, begins at 6.05pm on ntl channel 770 or 771.

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