D'Margio Wright-Phillips' celebration was even better than the goal itself
Stoke City substitute D'Margio Wright-Phillips dived to head a superb 91st-minute equaliser to rescue a point for the Potters and deny Middlesbrough a first win of the season.
After going a goal down to Jacob Brown's strike, Duncan Watmore turned it round for Boro with his first strike of the season seven minutes before the break, then forcing the error that brought his side's second.
But, just 13 minutes after coming on, Wright-Phillips evaded his markers to meet skipper Lewis Baker's teasing right-foot cross and go full length to head home unattended from eight yards out.
Stoke went ahead on 19 minutes when Dwight Gayle made a quick break and had the presence of mind to look up and pick out Brown, whose right-foot shot found the bottom-right corner.
Jacob Brown (right), Stoke's 14-goal top scorer last season, has now netted in successive home games this time around
Gayle then thought he had added a second, only for Boro to be reprieved for a foul on keeper Zach Steffen.
Gayle's second disallowed goal in as many games then proved costly when, on 38 minutes, Isaiah Jones curled over a low right-foot cross from the right touchline, which Watmore met with a neat near-post finish.
Then, on 63 minutes, Boro hit the front when Paddy McNair put over a teasing ball from the left.
Watmore and Phil Jagielka met it together at the near post - but the Stoke defender was credited with the final touch for an own goal.
That looked it for Stoke, but Wright-Phillips had the final word - and the celebration to match, a series of somersaults that would not have looked out of place at the World Gymnastics Championships.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsStoke
Formation 3-5-2
1Bursik32Taylor6Jagielka16Wilmot24Fosu-Henry18Smallbone8Baker7Clucas15Thompson11Gayle9Brown
- 1Bursik32Taylor6Jagielka16Wilmot24Fosu-HenrySubstituted forSparrowat 78'minutes18SmallboneSubstituted forCampbellat 70'minutes8BakerBooked at 51mins7ClucasSubstituted forKilkennyat 74'minutes15Thompson11GayleSubstituted forWright-Phillipsat 78'minutes9BrownBooked at 41mins
Substitutes
- 3Fox4Flint10Campbell13Bonham22Kilkenny29Wright-Phillips39Sparrow
Middlesbrough
Formation 3-5-1-1
1Steffen15Dijksteel26Lenihan27Bola2Jones17McNair16Howson4Mowatt3Giles8McGree18Watmore
- 1Steffen15DijksteelBooked at 90mins26Lenihan27Bola2Jones17McNair16Howson4Mowatt3Giles8McGreeSubstituted forCrooksat 83'minutes18WatmoreSubstituted forForssat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Fry13Hoppe14Smith21Forss23Roberts25Crooks31Finch
Referee:Michael SalisburyAttendance:18,345Match StatsHome TeamStokeAway TeamMiddlesbroughPossessionHome41%Away59%ShotsHome9Away15Shots on TargetHome4Away4CornersHome4Away8FoulsHome12Away10Live TextPost update
Match ends, Stoke City 2, Middlesbrough 2.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 2, Middlesbrough 2.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Marc Bola (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ryan Giles.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Patrick McNair with a cross.
90'+2'Post update
Attempt saved. Alex Mowatt (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Crooks.
90'+1'goalGoal!
Goal! Stoke City 2, Middlesbrough 2. D'Margio Wright-Phillips (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
90'+1'Booking
Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
88'Post update
Attempt missed. Lewis Baker (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
88'Post update
Attempt saved. Jacob Brown (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
86'Post update
Attempt blocked. Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Giles.
86'Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Jordan Thompson.
85'Post update
Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.
85'Post update
Foul by Jordan Thompson (Stoke City).
84'Post update
Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Foul by Jacob Brown (Stoke City).
83'Post update
Foul by Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough).
83'Post update
Connor Taylor (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
83'Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Ryan Giles tries a through ball, but Matt Crooks is caught offside.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Matt Crooks replaces Riley McGree.
82'Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Ryan Giles tries a through ball, but Marcus Forss is caught offside.
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Source: bbc.com