Shaun Batt came off the bench to fire in a late equaliser for Peterborough and leave Gordon Strachan still looking for his first Coca-Cola Championship win in charge of Middlesbrough.

Dave Kitson's 100th career league goal looked to have given Strachan his maiden victory before Batt crashed in a long-range strike to give Mark Cooper his first point as a Football League boss.

Cooper's side stay rooted to the bottom of the table despite claiming a share of the spoils while Strachan's men remain just outside the play-off places.

Exodus Geohaghon was handed a debut for the home side after following Cooper from Kettering this week and the 6ft 7in centre-half was immediately involved.

He launched in a trademark huge throw in the second minute which forced Boro goalkeeper Brad Jones to punch clear and Lee Frecklington sent in a lob from 30 yards which sailed wide.

Another throw in the sixth minute caused more chaos and Scott Griffiths arrowed a volley through a crowd of players which looked set for the far corner but drifted just wide.

New Posh skipper George Boyd then forced Jones into a sprawling save from the edge of the area before Leroy Lita twice came close to an opener for the visitors.

First, the former Reading man outpaced Ryan Bennett and fired in a low shot which Joe Lewis tipped around the post and he was then again denied by Lewis after Julio Arca had played a great through-ball.

Arca was central to Boro's growing control of the game and he was involved in the opening goal in the 28th minute.

A clever pass picked out Arca's run into the area and his low shot was well saved again by the feet of Lewis. However, the ball fell kindly for Kitson on the edge of the area and he clipped a delightful first-time finish into the vacant net.

Right-back Tony McMahon thought he had doubled the lead with a smart strike but the offside flag had long been raised.

Lita again went close after the break as Boro looked for a killer second but a moment of magic from Boyd pulled Cooper's side level in the 54th minute.

Griffiths sent over a cross from the left and Boyd pulled the ball down with one touch and arrowed a shot past Jones with a second for a fine equaliser.

But just four minutes later Adam Johnson skipped to the byline and crossed for Kitson to plant a towering header over Lewis and claim the 100th league strike of his career - eight years after he opened his account at Swansea for Cambridge.

Batt was introduced by Cooper and grabbed a marvellous equaliser with 15 minutes left.

Boyd headed down a crossfield ball into his path and Batt smashed a shot past Jones from 25 yards to ensure both sides would leave with a point.

Teams:

Peterborough Lewis, Zakuani (Lee 60), Bennett, Geohaghon,Griffiths, Rowe (Batt 67), Diagouraga, Frecklington, Boyd,Mackail-Smith, Mclean.

Subs Not Used: McKeown, Coutts, Keates, Green, Simpson.

Booked: Mclean, Batt.

Goals: Boyd 54, Batt 76.

Middlesbrough Jones, McMahon, St. Ledger, Wheater, Pogatetz,Yeates (Hoyte 75), Arca, Osbourne, Johnson, Lita, Kitson.

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Taylor, Riggott, Digard, Emnes, Bent.

Booked: Kitson.

Goals: Kitson 28, 58.

Att: 10,772

Ref: David Phillips (West Sussex).