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Bamford scored Boro's second before missing the injury-time spot kick

Patrick Bamford has apologised to Middlesbrough strike partner Kike for missing a penalty they argued over near the end of Saturday's 2-0 Championship win against Rotherham.

Spanish striker Kike was fouled inside the box in injury time, prompting his claims to take the spot-kick.

Bamford was the designated taker, and after a delay took the kick that was saved by Damian Martinez.

"It's all sorted. I spoke to Kike and apologised," Bamford told BBC Tees.

"If I'd scored it would have been fine but the goalkeeper has made a good save.

"If you take penalties you'll miss some, and I felt bad missing it."

Four games to go - Championship promotion race B'mouth Norwich Watford Boro Derby Wolves Reading (a) Leeds (a) Nott'm Forest (a) Wolves (h) Blackpool (h) M'brough (a) Sheff Wed (h) M'brough (h) Birmingham (h) Norwich (a) Huddersfield (a) Ipswich (h) Bolton (h) Rotherham (a) Brighton (a) Fulham (a) Millwall (a) Wigan (a) Charlton (a) Fulham (h) Sheff Wed (h) Brighton (h) Reading (h) Millwall (h)

Bamford, on loan from Chelsea, had put Aitor Karanka's side 2-0 up after Lee Tomlin's fine solo effort gave the hosts the lead.

Despite the penalty frustrations, Boro kept up their pursuit of promotion from the Championship with a fifth straight home win.

However, with all three teams above them winning as well, the Teessiders remain two points behind leaders Bournemouth with four games remaining.

Fellow promotion hopefuls Wolves provide the opposition in Boro's next fixture on Tuesday.

"We've really got to concentrate on ourselves, and hope they slip up and if we do that you don't know what will happen," said Bamford.

"You could sense the crowd getting uneasy - they even booed at half-time when we were going off but the second half was better.

"I knew once we got a goal it would be a bit more comfortable and you could sense the atmosphere change a bit."