JUBLIANT Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren admitted his side couldn't have made a better European bow, writes Lee Hall.

Boro beat Czech Republic champions Banik Ostrava 3-0 on a memorable night at the Riverside.

The result should make the second leg a formality and McClaren beamed: "I couldn't ask for anymore. We wanted to keep a clean sheet, we wanted to win the game and we scored three goals.

"We kept all 11 players on the park and only picked up one booking so I'm pleased with the end result.

"I think the most pleasing thing is the way we kept our patience in the first half. Ostrava frustrated us in the first half but we knew that they couldn't keep running in the second half and we knew the game would open up and we would get chances."

Ostrava coach Frantisek Flegl is looking for a better response from his players in the second-leg.

He said: "I was not surprised at how good Middlesbrough were because I knew that they were a very strong team.

"They were much better than the games we'd saw of them on video.

"Hopefully we can play better in Ostrava."

* Massimo Maccarone had a dream UEFA Cup debut for Parma as he scored two and made one for Marco Marchionni in the 3-2 win over Slovenia's Maribor in a first-round first-leg tie.

The striker on loan from Boro scored his opener through a lucky deflection but his second was a fine finish after an Andrej Kvas penalty had brought Maribor level.

Maccarone's backheel then set up Marchionni for the third but a goal in stoppage time from Kliton Bozgo kept the tie alive.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.