TIREDNESS is frequently used as an excuse by wealthy footballers these days for under-performing, and it makes a refreshing change to hear a Premiership star actually revelling in the strains of being a successful sportsman.

Middlesbrough's Mark Schwarzer embarked on a gruelling 15 hour journey to South Africa to play for Australia in a friendly on Wednesday night.

After representing the Aussies in Durban he then arrived back in the north of England - via Johannesbourg and London - and went straight into Boro's team for Saturday's battle of the European hopefuls at Bolton.

Instead of going through the motions at the Reebok Stadium, Schwarzer turned in a match-saving goalkeeping performance to thwart the advances of the home side and preserve Middlesbrough's slender grip on sixth place.

Was he tired? "A little," said Schwarzer. "But I enjoy it."

With chances in front of goal at a premium Schwarzer had to be alert when called into action and there were certainly no signs of fatigue.

After quarter of an hour the 32-year-old tipped a precise 25-yard chip on to the crossbar from Kevin Nolan and then somehow picked himself up off the floor and dived to his right to expertly deny Kevin Davies' header from the rebound.

Later in that half Schwarzer was equal to a rasping long range drive from full-back Anthony Barness and, after being largely untested for a long period, he was still focused enough to make a fantastic save from Jay-Jay Okocha at the death.

It's little wonder Middlesbrough were so relieved last month when he finally signed a three year extension to the contract due to expire this summer.

Defender Chris Riggott's display was one of the main reasons why the keeper did not have an even busier evening in Lancashire but the composed centre-back revealed the whole club's satisfaction that Middlesbrough will not need to look for Schwarzer's replacement.

"When Mark's future was undecided it was frustrating because he is a top goalie and we all wanted him to stay," said Riggott. "To have someone like that behind you in goal spreads confidence throughout the team.

"There's not many keepers around as good as him and he's probably the best in the Premier League. It would have been a near-impossible job to replace him."

Bolton had won their previous seven matches, form that had ensured the Trotters had caught Middlesbrough in the race for a top six and a run that has also raised the possibility of catching Everton for the final Champions League place.

So for Middlesbrough, seriously short of numbers with a long list of big performers ruled out, to claim a point with a makeshift side was of great credit to the players and coaching staff - even if the game was a pretty dour spectical played in appalling conditions.

Riggott's hand in the performance cannot be under-estimated either. Having played just one full game since November 28 the calm centre-back was a rock at the heart of a new-look five man man defence.

The fact he had been troubled for so long with a hamstring problem certainly did not affect his performance and his calmness had a positive impact on the rest of the backline - where left-back Franck Queudrue performed admirably out of position in the middle.

But it was Riggott who shone 'like a lighthouse back there' - a phrase once used by Sir Bobby Robson to describe Jonathan Woodgate.

Injury meant the former Derby man was unlucky not to be in contention for an England call-up last week as Sven-Goran Eriksson searhced for defensive cover.

"I wasn't thinking about a call-up. I wouldn't say England didn't cross my mind at all because I do want to play for the national team but I'm just thinking about Middlesbrough at the moment," said Riggott.

"With all the pull-outs from the England squad I was the only one left really, so maybe I would have been considered. It's not really in my hands. I was injured so it wasn't an issue but it is something I want in the future."

Middlesbrough are now seven points behind Everton and could have been even closer had Joseph Job's shooting been better.

With only two minutes gone the Cameroon striker blundered a shot wide from 12 yards after Schwarzer's long punt upfield put the forward in the clear.

In the second half Job also missed the target when he had the full goal to aim at after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and James Morrison, a menace throughout to the Bolton defence, linked up well.

After Bolton midfielder Gary Speed had whizzed a stunning strike just wide of Schwarzer's right post, Hasselbaink was denied by the long arms of Jussi Jaaskelainen two minutes from time.

But it was Schwarzer's save from Okocha in injury time that clinched a valuable point for Middlesbrough. "A lot of people would have been writing us off but we need a few more results like this. People might say Middlesbrough are slipping and they are going to slip but this result shows we are in it for the long run. We want to stay in there," said Riggott.

El-Hadji Diouf, at the centre of a spitting row at the Riverside in November, was in the spotlight again for throwing himself to the floor in the box under Riggott's challenge. But the Boro man said: "I'm not really one to get involved in that sort of stuff. He has built up a bad reputation for himself and you get players like that. It just adds to the occasion."

Result: Bolton Wanderers 0 Middlesbrough 0.

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