Dutch masters paint a rosy picture for Boro

But on an icy night in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium referee Edo Trivkovic could prove to be Boro's Last Action Hero after making the decision to send off Grazer AK's star striker Roland Kollmann with ten minutes to go.

Kollmann, whose stunning free-kick a minute earlier had pulled the Austrian champions level for a second time, was adjudged to have dived under a challenge from Chris Riggott and received his second yellow card.

Now the man who scored the goal that sparked an Austria comeback in the World Cup qualifier with England in September will miss the return leg at the Riverside Stadium next Thursday.

Last night's encounter sparked into life after half-time when Zenden's clinical right-foot finish from 20 yards, after being allowed too much time and space, put Boro in front.

Grazer hit back 12 minutes later when Mario Bazina's shot squirmed past Mark Schwarzer, who made a number of stunning saves to keep the home side at bay.

Hasselbaink, asked to fight a lonely cause up front on his own, headed in Boro's second crucial away goal of the tie two minutes later when he met Stewart Downing's perfect cross from the left for his 12th of the season.

But Kollmann, who had been awarded a foul on the edge of the area after a challenge from Ray Parlour, hit the equaliser when his curling dead ball proved too hot to handle for Schwarzer.

The freezing temperatures clearly had an effect on the players but they came to life after the restart. Both sets of players realised the importance of keeping warm and gaining a favourable result from the first leg, but it took Boro until half-time to have a significant say in proceedings.

It was a credit to the Austrian club that the game even went ahead. Their decision to have the undersoil heating switched on for ten days prior to the contest paid dividends.

As it was Grazer's first game since their two-month winter break the turf could not have looked in better shape bearing in mind the Alpine weather in this region recently.

Fortunately there was no fear of the game being postponed, as Austria Vienna's UEFA Cup tie with Athletic Bilbao was on Wednesday.

It was a night to be running around rather than sitting on the bench so Joseph Job and Stuart Parnaby - who boht started the goalless draw with Bolton at the weekend - were the unfortunates to join the rest of the substitutes as Parlour and Zenden returned from suspension.

There was also a blow to promising full-back Tony McMahon, who was not even involved in the 18 despite arguably being Boro's best performer at right-back this season.

It was down the opposite flank that Grazer attacked first with seconds on the clock.

January window signing Imants Bleidelis' cross appeared to hit Gareth Southgate's arm before falling to Kollmann, who volleyed wide when he should have at least found the target.

While there was plenty of energy, chances in the first half were at a premium.

Grazer's captain Anton Ehmann did go close with a near-post header from Kollmann's free-kick and Michael Reiziger's 20-yard shot was saved by Andreas Schranz.

But it was well over half an hour before either keeper was seriously tested.

Schwarzer, such a big part of keeping a clean sheet at Bolton, did fantastically to get down low and stop Ehmann's left-foot volley from Kollmann's corner.

Grazer passed the ball around well but their final ball reflected their lack of competitive action.

Fortunately for Boro, Grazer's early shooting also left a lot to be desired, otherwise the Premiership outfit could have been a goal down before half-time.

An embarrassing mix-up between Chris Riggott and Franck Queudrue, when they both went up for the same header, led to the ball dropping to the feet of Bleidelis.

The Latvian, who once made an appearance for Southampton, had just Schwarzer to beat from the edge of the area but he scuffed his shot wide.

Footballers in Graz are fed pumpkin seed oil to revitalise and McClaren could have done a lot worse than giving it to his players ahead of the second half.

Maybe he did, because whatever the manager said in the dressing room had the desired effect with Boro having a much bigger say on the rest of the game.

Zenden's strike, which nestled in Schranz's bottom right corner, stemmed from some good work at the back by both Southgate and then Queudrue.

The Dutch midfielder has had a fantastic season and this was his third goal of the competition, having netted twice against Lazio in the group stage.

After doing so well to edge in front away from home Boro threw away the good work.

Schwarzer acrobatically denied Bazina, but then right-midfielder Bazina was again left free and this time Schwarzer's best efforts could not stop the shot rolling just over the line on 64 minutes.

Boro's response was instant and to the point. From Downing's pin-point centre Hasselbaink coasted in between two defenders to head his side back into the lead.

It was only the striker's third goal since December 18 and it could not have come at a better time as he had looked isolated for most of the encounter.

Unfortunately Boro failed to hang on to their lead when Kollmann struck the perfect free-kick 11 minutes from time.

But Boro, who went close late on through Hasselbaink, can count themselves clear favourites to book a date with either Sporting Lisbon or Feyenoord in the next round - particularly as their opponents will be without the suspended top-scorer Kollmann.