Coventry City Reserves last night missed a golden opportunity to clinch the Pontins League title when they took on Middlesbrough’s second string.

The Sky Blues will now have to rely on other results if they are to win the championship after throwing away a two-goal lead.

City started brightly and grabbed the lead in the opening five minutes when a sweeping move ended with Willie Boland delivered a superbly weighted ball which Gavin Strachan and slid into the net.

The game seemed dead and buried after nine minutes when the visitors doubled their lead, again it was Boland who delivered the incisive ball, which was beautifully controlled and finished by Andrew Ducros.

However, the two-goal lead was short lived and by the interval Boro had levelled the game and grabbed the initiative.

The home side clearly thought this gave them the upper hand but City re-established their lead on the hour with Boland unlocking the Boro defence for the third time and the benefactor Gary McPhee fired past the keeper.

It was a blow that could have finished the home side, but to the Teesider’s credit they came back to equalise, and then with just six minutes remaining, they struck again to seal the three points.

Reserve team coach Trevor Peake said the result was a blow. He said:

"We were obviously extremely disappointed to have come so near, and now know that the issue is not in our hands," he commented.

"We now have to hope that Port Vale can pull off a good result against Boro next week and leave us knowing just what we have to do to win.

"Middlesborough had a very experienced side out and we had several lads who had been out of action for a while and they visibly tired in front of us."