STEVE McCLAREN paid tribute to match-winner Stewart Downing and his substitutes for helping Middlesbrough make a dream start to life in the second phase of the UEFA Cup.

With Boro heading for a goalless draw against unglamorous Greek outfit Egaleo in Athens last night, McClaren made three changes during the course of the second half in a bid to brighten the visitors' attacking verve.

Gaizka Mendieta, Downing and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink all entered the fray and it was the talented young winger who clinched victory with a super left-foot strike.

McClaren, whose side welcome Italian giants Lazio to an expected sell-out Riverside Stadium in 13 days, believes it was a job well done in Greece in their opening Group E fixture.

"Stewart continues to progress and we are pleased with him," said McClaren, after witnessing Downing score the winner just eight minutes after replacing Bolo Zenden.

"He has ability and he has shown that in the past. We knew that we had the quality on the bench in Mendieta and Hasselbaink - even Boateng if we needed him - and that they could make a difference.

"Stewart came on and did exactly that, made a difference. But you can't detract from the team effort. It may not have been fantastic to watch but the team we put out did a great job.

"The subs came on and did a terrific job as well. They all won it for us."

McClaren shocked everyone when he announced his team to face Egaleo by leaving out Hasselbaink and partnering Szilard Nemeth with the returning Mark Viduka in attack.

But the Middlesbrough boss insisted he picked a team capable of winning at the Rizoupoli Stadium and that he now has the majority of his squad fresh for Sunday's home match with Portsmouth.

"We have three very difficult games in one week and the players can't play in all the games," he said. "We wanted to rest some players but we wanted them to be available for the second half if we needed them.

"The priority is the Premier League but we want to do well in this competition as well. We came here and got a result and it's the perfect start for us.

"It was a very professional performance and we knew Egaleo would be difficult over here.

"We knew there weren't going to be many goals and that if we went in nil-nil at half-time we could go on and win the game."

Middlesbrough hope George Boateng will have fully recovered from a stomach upset in time to face Portsmouth.

But Stuart Parnaby is unlikely to be fit after suffering a knock in training.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.