The Hatters spurned several fantastic chances as they were held to a goalless draw with play-off-chasing Middlesbrough.

In a first half of near-complete domination, Thelo Aasgaard and Elijah Adebayo missed guilt-edged opportunities to put the Town in front.

And while the Town still had the most of the ball after the break, they could not break down the Boro defence and had to settle for a point which, after other results went against them, now leaves them four points from Championship safety.

Showing an unchanged side that beat Cardiff in midweek the Hatters started like a train and should have led inside seven minutes. Adebayo’s cut-back was deflected into the path of Aasgaard who somehow lifted the ball over the bar from five yards out on the stretch.

Alfie Doughty’s low drive was blocked two minutes later and on 16 minutes, as the Town continued to press, the left-wing-back created a superb opening for Aasgaard who volleyed straight at Mark Travers from 10 yards.

It was chance-a-minute stuff for the Hatters as, moments after Liam Walsh dragged a shot wide, Adebayo missed a huge chance to break the deadlock on 20 minutes when racing through on goal after a wayward Boro back-pass to shoot straight at Travers.

The visitors, who came into the game just three points off the play-offs, barely threatened the Town goal and it wasn’t until the 32nd minute that Boro came close to pushing the Town back into their own half.

But on 35 minutes the Hatters came even closer to finally getting the ball over the line when, after Carlton Morris’ shot was saved by Travers, the Town skipper edged the ball into Adebayo’s path but from a matter of yards the striker could not get the decisive touch with the goal gaping.

You felt the Town needed to continue where they left off in the second half but chances were few and far between after the break.

Indeed it wasn’t until the hour mark that either side came close – and that was when Finn Azaz curled a well-hit effort just wide from the edge of the box for the visitors.

With 20 minutes left Matt Bloomfield introduced Lamine Fanne, Lasse Nordås and Milli Alli and five minutes later the Hatters came close when Mark McGuinness’ towering header bounced agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

As time ticked down the game became a scrappy affair and with three minutes remaining Nordås shot wide after being teed up by Fanne as the Town tried in vain to find a late winner.

With the game swinging quickly from end to end as both sides hunted all three points, Boro came closest in the second minute of added time when Delano Burgzorg flashed a shot goalwards that kissed the top of the crossbar.

But the Town could not find a way through in the final moments and, with results going against them in the games elsewhere, they find themselves four points from safety.

It’s the international break now with a big one at Hull in two weeks’ time.

We’ll see you then.

Town: Kaminski, Jones, Doughty (sub Alli 70), Bell, McGuinness, Makosso, Clark, Walsh (sub Lamine Fanne 70), Aasgaard, Morris, Adebayo (sub Brown 55 (sub Nordås 69).

Subs not used Krul, Naismith, Burke, Nelson, Bowler.

Attendance: 11,815, including 1,338 from Middlesbrough.