STEVE McClaren believes it will not be too difficult to lift his Middlesbrough players for Wednesday's trip to Ipswich Town.

Boro were comfortably beaten 3-1 on Saturday by a Blackburn Rovers side who needed the points to help them in their push for Premiership survival.

And when McClaren takes his side to Ipswich he knows that the Tractor Boys are in desperate need for points themselves.

But the Riverside chief, understandably frustrated at the way Boro were defeated on their own patch, is confident they can quickly bounce back from their first League defeat since March 16.

"I'm very disappointed after our performance," said McClaren.

"They know they can do better and they know that's not the standard they have set over the last few months.

"You get that in football, it's a harsh lesson and something we did not want to happen but it can do - this could bring us back down to earth.

"You have to forget about the semi-final and all the people who have given you a pat on the back.

"You have to get back to the reality and no matter who you play you have to perform at a certain level and on Saturday we didn't do that."

Boro have taken great strides since the turn of the year - and ninth in the Premiership and an FA Cup semi-final is evidence of that.

But, while many consider the Teessiders' performance against Blackburn as an FA cup hangover, McClaren was in no mood to look for excuses.

He said: "I don't like losing football matches and that's why I'm feeling like I do. But I'm not totally down and I will not criticise the players.

"I don't want to make excuses and to me that is an excuse. We performed magnificently last week and we have to take that and move forward - here we didn't.

"There's no substitute for hardwork and that's what has got us where we are and we did not reach the same level as we have done.

"You always look for consistency and I have praised the team on many occasions so I won't criticise them."

Frenchman Franck Queudrue was shown the red card at the Riverside when he was adjudged to have been the last defender when he brought down skilful midfielder David Dunn.

And McClaren indicated that he is hoping to appeal against referee Neale Barry's decision. The Boro boss also suggested that he could have Alen Boksic, Jonathan Greening and Ugo Ehiogu all back for the midweek trip to Portman Road.

"Boksic, Ehiogu, Greening will be fit if not for Wednesday certainly for Saturday against Chelsea," he said.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.