But while Boro struggled to lay a glove on Swansea, their striker Josh Coburn was on target for Millwall. He features in this week's North East Notes.
Chris Mepham got the winner for Sunderland against Cardiff - on the day he promised he'd score. That features below.
As does Pep Guardiola's reaction after Jack Grealish made the news this week when pictures emerged of him in a North East social club last weekend.
MILLWALL'S JOSH COBURN PLAN
Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn scored another late winner for Millwall on Saturday - and Alex Neil confirmed he wants the striker on a permanent deal in the summer.
Coburn has had an injury disrupted loan spell at The Den but that didn't stop Millwall from trying to make his temporary switch permanent in January.
A deal wasn't struck in the winter window but the Lions will try again at the end of the season, with Coburn key to Neil's plans for the future.
The 22-year-old has been eased back into action after returning from his foot injury and had to settle for a place on the bench for three successive games. But he was handed his first start since November when he got the nod over Mihailo Ivanovic at Watford on Saturday and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory for the Lions.
Neil said afterwards: "It was a hard decision today but I think that I need to get Josh minutes to get him up to speed.
"Also, we’d like to try and keep Josh here beyond where we’re at now, which I think is important, so we have good options at the top end of the pitch.
"The two strikers have been excellent for me since I’ve come here and it’s just making sure I try and sort of split the game time and at times if I need two I’ll play two. I thought he was excellent, particularly second half.
"I hope he’s enjoying his football. He scored two goals in the last two games that he started, or played in.
"I think when you’re six foot three, you’re mobile, you’ve got good movement in the box and technically you’re equipped, they’re some great traits to have."
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GOAL MEPHAM PROMISED AFTER FIVE-YEAR WAIT
Chris Mepham scored his first goal in almost five years on Saturday - as the Sunderland defender had promised on the morning.
Mepham's last goal came back in October, 2020, for Bournemouth against Watford but he was the unlikely saviour for the Black Cats when he popped up with the winner 13 minutes from time against Cardiff.
And only a few hours before the game first team coach Michael Proctor had been telling Mepham it was about time he got on the scoresheet.
"Goals have been few and far between for me and I was getting a bit of stick this morning from Proc, who was saying it's about time I score from a set-piece," revealed Mepham after the game.
"I told him today will be the day! I'm delighted personally to get the goal but mostly to get the win for the team."
The goal came from a well-worked set-piece but Mepham revealed it wasn't something Sunderland had been working on in training - and said Wilson Isidor was actually going for goal when he teed up the defender with what looked like a cross.
"I think it was instinct," Mepham said of the set-piece routine.
"On a Friday we do lots of set piece stuff but that wasn't one we worked on. Wilson is always alive and looking for opportunities. I spoke to him after and he said he did try to shoot so he wasn't totally selfless!"
PEP ON GREALISH'S NORTH EAST NIGHT OUT
You'll no doubt have seen the pictures by now of Manchester City and England star Jack Grealish in North Biddick Social Club, in Washington, last week.
The 29-year-old is said to have stuck £500 behind the bar for locals before heading off and was later pictured at The Dubliner in Newcastle.
City boss Pep Guardiola insists he has no issues with Grealish enjoying his time off - but warned he must deliver on the pitch for Manchester City.
Grealish was not breaking any club rules, with the squad having been given two days off following Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round win over Plymouth.
Yet the pictures and stories led to some questioning the 29-year-old’s professionalism amid what has been a difficult campaign both for him and the team.
But City manager Guardiola said: “They know what they have to do.
“A day off is a day off, there is no training. They have private lives to do whatever they want. I’m not going to control what they do in their private life.
“I judge what I see on the pitch, the training sessions and the performances in the game. That’s where I judge the players.”