LUTON, England, CMC – In-form Cameron Archer, a forward with Reggae Boy eligibility, scored his 10th goal of the season, but Middlesbrough squandered a first-half lead to crash to a 2-1 defeat at Championship playoff rivals Luton here Monday night.
In a critical game at Kenilworth Road, especially with both teams looking to secure playoff spots, the 21-year-old Archer gave the visitors the lead on 40 minutes before Tom Lockyer leveled just after the break.
Carlton Morris’s controversial penalty sealed the result in the 67th minute, the 27-year-old going down in the area despite nearly zero contact with goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
“It was never a penalty. It wasn’t even close,” Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick said of the penalty call from referee Graham Scott.
With the defeat, Middlesbrough remained fourth on 74 points but was still in the playoff spots. They are four points behind third-placed Luton; leaders Burnley (92) already have sealed their return to the top flight.
On loan from Premier League side Aston Villa, Archer gave Middlesbrough the lead with the interval nearing. He raced onto frontman Matt Crooks’s long pass and deftly rounded goalkeeper Ethan Horvath before calmly slotting home.
The equalizer arrived in the 49th when an unmarked Lockyer headed in Alfie Doughty’s corner, and the winner came through Morris’s theatrical tumble.
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