Fulham boss Chris Coleman has called for the introduction of video play-backs after seeing his side robbed of a precious victory at Middlesbrough.

Coleman had to be restrained as he walked on to the pitch at the Riverside Stadium on the final whistle and headed for referee Rob Styles, who will take charge of this season's FA Cup Final, after he awarded the home side a controversial late penalty which Bolo Zenden gleefully converted to snatch a point.

Mr Styles pointed to the spot after consulting one of his assistants following keeper Edwin van der Sar's challenge on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, although the incident clearly took place outside the penalty area, a fact which was confirmed by television replays.

"It is a disappointing decision to say the least," said Coleman.

"We have looked at it on the monitor four or five times - it is a foul, but it is outside the box, it was not inside the box.

"If he is inside the box, he catches the ball, it is common sense, otherwise he is not going to try to go with his head.

"It is a foul outside the box, the referee looks over to his linesman, who is in the perfect position from what I can see, and he says he is inside the box.

"I do not know, maybe I have only been in the job two minutes and I have not got enough clout - but you are talking about Premiership football and you have got to have now, surely - I have got a little monitor, it is not going to cost a lot of money - 30-second play-back.

"It clears everything up, it is as simple as that. I do not want to get into trouble because I could sit all night and talk about officials, but I am not going to do that.

"I am concentrating on a positive performance and it should have been three points."

Fulham were desperately unfortunate to be pegged back after taking the lead eight minutes from time through Brian McBride's excellent finish, although they might have won the game comfortably had the American international taken either of two first-half headed opportunities.

Zenden's penalty was Boro's only shot on target, and that made Mr Styles' intervention all the more galling for Coleman, whose side is still fighting for Barclays Premiership survival.

"It is three weeks running we have had bad decisions given against us" he said. "We cannot do anything about that, but it has got to turn sooner or later.

"I thought overall in the game - for 20 minutes in the second half, they but a bit of pressure on us, but other than that, I thought we were the better team.

"I think we were better in the last third. They huffed and puffed a little bit, but overall I think we were better and I am disappointed for the players because they worked their socks off.

"I thought it was a great performance. It is not an easy place to come to."

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren admitted that his side had been second-best before the break and, although he knew that they had got a stroke of luck with the penalty, he believed they might have had two more.

"I thought Jimmy's was one in the first half where he cut inside, and definitely in the second half when someone is tugging at his shirt in the penalty area and he is trying to get away and he is pulled back," he said.

"I think because of those two incidents, I do not know, that could influence the referee's decision. It was maybe fortunate, but I think we were due that bit of luck."

The draw salvaged a point for Boro on a night when three would have taken them above Tottenham into seventh place, the final European berth, and victory over former boss Bryan Robson's West Brom at home on Saturday is a must if they are to keep their dreams alive.

Meanwhile, Boro chief executive Keith Lamb has confirmed that the club has opened talks with McClaren over a new contract.

Writing in the match programme, he said: "Steve Gibson and myself have already had discussions with Steve McClaren about renewing his contract as manager. Those discussions are ongoing and we are all keen to achieve a satisfactory conclusion.

"We all hope Steve will be with us for some time to come. He is keen to stay and we are keen to keep him, so we anticipate no problems. Steve still has a year left on his contract and there is no pressure to get the deal done."