MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren looks set to hand Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts the chance to solve the club's goalscoring problems.

Both front-men only played 45 minutes of the reserves' 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa last night, as McClaren decided to rest the pair with one eye on Sunday's trip to Tottenham in the Premiership.

Maccarone, who missed the start of the season with an ankle injury, made his first team return as a subsitute in the derby with Newcastle on Saturday.

And now the Italian could be in line for a recall to the starting line-up at White Hart Lane this weekend, as McClaren seeks the goals that will lift his side out of the relegation zone.

The Boro boss, meanwhile, has moved to reassure any nervous fans that the Riverside outfit will soon be making the right moves in the Premiership.

They lie in a precarious relegation place after nine matches, having won just twice in the League, and they have lost their last two matches on home soil.

Despite poor results, the arrivals of Bolo Zenden, Gaizka Mendieta and Danny Mills heralded the start of much-improved performances from the Teessiders.

However, goals are still proving to be the stumbling block - only Wolves have scored fewer than Boro in the top-flight this season.

McClaren, though, is convinced it is only a matter of time before the good results he claims his side deserve will return.

"You have to take what comes," said McClaren. "I know we are getting better than we were four or five weeks ago. I know what's out there; I know the quality which we have signed; I know the quality in the squad and in the team. So therefore I'm very confident.

"After the last five games we have played, we have had three wins and two defeats in which we have performed magnificently.

"I also look at the Leeds game where we shouldn't have been beaten and we should have had at least a couple more points from those games.

"If we'd have collected those couple of other points then we'd have been near the top half of the table.

"The league is so tight at the moment that from the bottom to the top five or six, there's very little in it. A couple of wins will soon put us back in there and we are capable of winning matches."

Former Boro midfielder Keith O'Neill has been forced to retire after losing a long-running battle against a back injury.

His only appearance for Coventry this season lasted just seven minutes, after previously being ruled out of action since mid-December.

Now the 27-year-old has decided enough is enough but he paid tribute to the man who took him to Boro in 1998 - Bryan Robson.

"I've met some great people," said O'Neill. "Bryan Robson was my hero since the age of four, he ended up buying me and is now a good friend of mine.

"As you can imagine, I feel robbed of my best footballing years but I have been lucky enough to live out a dream for the last ten."

* Maccarone and Ricketts were part of a side mixed with youth and experience that suffered a 1-0 home defeat last night as Boro Reserves lost by a single goal to Aston Villa. James Morrison, playing his first game since returning from injury, linked up well with Stewart Downing on several occasions. Twice they combined to set up Maccarone, who nudged an early chance just wide before seeing a close range shot saved at the near post by keeper Wayne Henderson.

His opposite number Carlo Nash produced two excellent saves to keep Boro in the game as Stephen Cooke produced dangerous low deliveries. Nash was well positioned shortly before half-time to gather a powerful shot from Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Boro also went close twice leading up to the break when a Morrison shot was deflected over his own bar by Liam Ridgewell while a Downing corner was headed just over the bar by Chris Riggott.

The only goal of the game came three minutes into the second half and was one worthy of winning any match as Irish international Mark Kinsella volleyed an unstoppable drive through a crowded penalty area from 20 yards.

Boro stepped up their game and enjoyed the bulk of possession in the second half, but chances were limited.

Middlesbrough Reserves: Nash, Davies, Wright, Smith, Riggott, Bates, Morrison (Nordgren 75), Close, Maccarone (Graham 46), Ricketts (Liddle 46), Downing. Subs (not used): Taylor, Roberts (gk).

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