Swansea carve out a draw with high-flying Middlesbrough

Tommy Conway scored a second-half penalty equaliser as promotion-chasing Middlesbrough earned a precious point from a 2-2 Championship draw away to Swansea.

In match of three penalties, Conway’s 75th-minute effort levelled things up after two first-half spot-kicks for Swansea’s Zan Vipotnik.

Boro would have moved back into the top two with a win, but the draw means they remain in third.

Alex Bangura had opened the scoring for Kim Hellberg’s side before Championship top scorer Vipotnik’s double as Swansea sit 15th.

Having lost at home to Millwall on Good Friday, Middlesbrough were desperate to revive their campaign. They produced a positive opening and deservedly went ahead in the 12th minute through a spectacular strike from Bangura.

The Sierra Leone defender made the most of an error by Swansea youngster Sam Parker to surge forward before exchanging passes with Conway and smashing the ball past a startled Lawrence Vigouroux in the Swansea goal.

It was Bangura’s first goal in almost two years and the opening salvo to what would prove an eventful first half for the Boro wing-back.

The hosts had hardly sustained any pressure or created any opportunities aside from one optimistic shout for a penalty when the ball struck Boro skipper Luke Ayling in the chest.

But midway through the half, Bangura lunged at Liam Cullen just as the Swans forward was sliding the ball out of his opponent’s reach and the hosts were awarded a penalty.

Vipotnik made no mistake from the spot to level things up at 1-1 after 20 minutes.

Boro regained their composure and three blocked shots in the same attacking sequence reflected the pressure the home side were again under.

But Bangura then needed lengthy treatment after a challenge by Parker and the defender eventually left the field to be replaced by Finley Munroe in the 34th minute.

The switch seemed to unsettle the visitors’ defence and Vipotnik was immediately presented with two half-chances he was unable to seize.

But in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage-time, another reckless Boro challenge enabled Vipotnik to score his second penalty.

This time, it was goalkeeper Sol Brynn who dragged down Jisung Eom, even though it appeared an unnecessary intervention.

Vipotnik deployed the same stuttering run-up as in his first kick, but this time rolled the ball into the opposite corner.

Swansea looked comfortable for much of the early stages of the second half, even though neither side threatened.

Both teams made changes either side of the hour mark, but Boro looked the more revived and Vigouroux had to make a brilliant save to deny a curling 20-yard effort from Aidan Morris.

Swansea’s escape proved short-lived, though, as referee Matthew Donohue awarded his third – and least convincing – penalty in the 75th minute.

Eom found himself the wrong side of Callum Brittain and when the full-back went down, it was judged sufficient for another spot-kick that was slotted home by Conway to make it 2-2.

Cullen drew a late save from Brynn, but Boro clung on for a precious point.