Chants ranging from We're going to win the league to You can't even beat the Boro summed up a largely uneventful first friendly of the summer with a part-time Athlone Town team which included four trialists.
Kris Boyd, one of Boro's four close-season recruits on show, did open his account with a tidy opener 16 minutes from time, but Athlone substitute Austin Skelly delivered an instant equaliser moments later.
There were also welcome returns from long-term injuries for Matthew Bates and Willo Flood, but it is safe to say there is plenty for Strachan still to work on with his new-look squad.
Stephen McManus, who has moved from Celtic on a permanent basis after last season's loan, suffered from occasional lapses in concentration, while Boyd struggled to pose the sort of threat he will be expected to in the Championship.
There were encouraging performances from Kevin Thomson and Nicky Bailey, forming a new look midfield, but even then Strachan will be looking for much more against Ipswich on August 7. In reality Athlone had no right to run Middlesbrough close, even in the sort of friendly which Strachan insists he never reads too much in to.
The Aitricity League First Division strugglers, whose players are paid a combined weekly pay bill of 1,500 euros per week, rely on these such fixtures during the summer to boost their operating fund.
And while there was a healthy contingent of Middlesbrough supporters in attendance at the oldest club in southern Ireland, the tiny Lissywoollen venue was the scene for plenty of Celtic supporting Athlone followers.
This was Athlone's second match inside three days, but it was still a first team intent on trying to cause problems for a squad that cost more to build than the semi-professional outfit's entire 10m euros set-up.
There was very little to choose between the two teams. Athlone's lone striker Declan O'Brien wasted a couple of opportunities after mistakes from McManus at the back, while there were brief glimpses at the other end. Scott McDonald missed the best of those.
With Gary O'Neil still expected to be sold if a buyer comes in with more than £3m, it was telling that he figured on the left flank and the central roles occupied by new signings Bailey and Thomson.
Bailey has been brought in to add goals from midfield and, after O'Neil's chipped pass to the edge of the area, the former Charlton man arrived on queue but powered his drive high over the bar.
Former Celtic boss Strachan cut a frustrated figure, with plenty of routine passes missing the intended target. Athlone would have been in front had Bates, looking confident on his return from a year out through injury, not done enough to prevent Jason Hughes from scoring from inside six yards.
Shortly before all the second half substitutions started, Miiddlesbrough did pick things up. After a neat move towards the box, McDonald's goalbound effort was denied by Athlone goalkeeper Michael Schlingermann.
Boyd should have done better with a clever Thomson centre which he turned over from 12 yards, but he made amends 14 minutes from time. The Scotland international was on hand to strike Luke Williams' knock down, from Joe Bennett's centre, beyond substitute goalkeeper Jason Lownes with a sweet half volley.
However the lead didn't last long. Athlone striker Skelly was sent clean through and carefully slotted the equaliser underneath Brad Jones.
BORO (4-4-2): Jones; Hoyte, Bates, McManus, Bennett; Flood, Thomson, Bailey, O'Neil (Williams 69); McDonald (Miller 79), Boyd (Lita 79). Subs (not used): Coyne; Steele, Grounds.
ATHLONE (4-2-3-1): Schlingermann (Lownes 72); Colbert (Skelly 59), Collins (Hope 72), McCarthy (Marshall 81), O'Shea (Browne 81); McEvoy (Williamson 72), Fitzgerald; Moran (Nolan 81), Hughes (O'Riordan 59), Ryan (O'Hanlon 50); O'Brien (Scullion 59). Subs all used.
Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo