WEST HAM have extended the loan of Middlesbrough right-back Robbie Stockdale for a second month as the Scottish international eyes a permanent move to Upton Park.

Stockdale has fallen down the pecking order at the Riverside following the arrival of Danny Mills on a season's loan from Leeds and the emergence of Stuart Parnaby.

New Hammers boss Alan Pardew revealed that Stockdale, who was 24 on Sunday, now sees his future in East London.

Pardew said: "We needed someone else in and we are lucky that Steve McClaren has let us have Robbie.

"He hasn't had a chance with us because of a hamstring injury, just one game. It's fingers crossed that he stays injury-free because I think he wants to make his career here and it's an opportunity for him.

"The ball is in his court as I've said before. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury and that is still the case.''

Boro boss Steve McClaren is refusing to commit himself to the possibility of Mills' move becoming permanent.

But if he does press his interest, he could face competition from Tottenham, who have identified the England international as a potential replacement for Stephen Carr.

Republic of Ireland international Carr is out of contract at the end of the season and is a long-standing target for Newcastle United.

Meanwhile, McClaren has saluted the role of midfield enforcers George Boateng and Doriva in Boro's run of five successive clean sheets.

Both players were forced off in the lucky 1-0 win at Manchester City on Sunday - an own goal by Sun Jihai was decisive - after suffering head injuries.

Boateng looked to be out cold as he was carried off after Doriva had departed with a wound which required four stitches.

Boro will check on the pair today ahead of tomorrow's Carling Cup fourth-round tie with Everton at the Riverside.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer's shut-out against City brought Boro their best clean-sheet sequence in the top flight since 1975.

And McClaren, whose side are unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions, declared: "Boateng and Doriva have been phenomenal. They have helped to screen the defence and that's why we're not conceding.

"With the poor start we had to the season, we're still recovering, but we look like a team now. We're strong defensively and creative going forward. We need to score more goals, but we are developing into a very good team and people know they are in for a hard game against us.

"We're more creative with Gaizka Mendieta, Juninho and Bolo Zenden linking up very well, and I think we can score goals - and will do.''

McClaren believes 6ft 4in Schwarzer, who before the weekend games had caught the ball more times than any other Premiership keeper this season, has silenced his critics.

"Some people have questioned Mark's ability to come for crosses and dominate his area,'' said McClaren. "But we've been looking at the stats and they dispel the theory. He's obviously been crucial to our defensive record over the last ten games or so.''

* Shaun Wright-Phillips can still find reasons to be cheerful despite Manchester City's ongoing strife.

The Blues' 1-0 reverse to Boro was their fourth defeat in five league outings, a run which has seen them tumble out of the top four in the Barclaycard Premiership into their present position just above halfway.

However, Wright-Phillips insisted the mood in the City camp is still high. ''Sometimes you just need a bit of luck to spark you off and against Middlesbrough we didn't get it,'' he said. ''We worked really hard and were unfortunate not to get anything out of the game but now we have to take that kind of performance into the next few matches."

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