NOT FOR the first time this season, Middlesbrough were unable to find the performance required to take them into the top ten of the Premiership.

Back in September Steve McClaren's side were propping up the top-flight after their 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United.

But two victories in three days against West Ham and Leicester saw Boro quickly move to 11th - the same position occupied prior to Saturday's clash at Upton Park.

However, despite taking six points from those early season fixtures, the Teessiders were unable to maintain that form and by the turn of the year they were recognised, once again, as serious relegation candidates.

Optimistic McClaren will be hoping a similar fate is not bestowed on them once again now.

Boro went to East London on the back of a run of eight games unbeaten - stretching back to the defeat at Fulham on January 12.

Their new found resilience at the back and a determination to ground out a result proved enough to lift the Riverside outfit back up to mid-table and achieve a quarter-final place in the FA Cup.

But, with the possibility of securing more breathing space between themselves and the bottom three at stake, Boro had to suffer the blow of losing to a West Ham side, who have now leapfrogged above them.

Now, instead of continuing their resurgence, Boro go into this Saturday's clash with bottom club Leicester knowing victory would be gratefully received.

What made returning to the North-East worse for McClaren was knowing that the one goal that separated the two sides was a costly error by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

The towering stopper, only making his third appearance since November 3, made a hash of a clearance when perhaps the best place for the ball was Row Z of the East Stand.

At 0-0 substitute Vladimir Labant, a first half replacement for injured ex-Sunderland midfielder Don Hutchison, played an inviting ball for exciting Jermain Defoe down the left, which Schwarzer raced out to clear.

And the Aussie keeper, perhaps mistaking the ball for a boomerang, sent the ball straight back the way it came to Labant, who fed Frenchman Frederic Kanoute who volleyed cooly into an empty a net.

Regardless of how the winner came about, Schwarzer's boss sympathised with his No 1.

"Everybody knows that the keeper has made an error," said McClaren, who recalled the former Bradford man last weekend against Blackburn, despite deputy Mark Crossley's record of nine clean sheets in 16 games.

"But there were mistakes happening all over the park. When you lose a game it's always somebody's fault."

Boro's misery did not end there though.

Pushing hard for the equaliser, West Ham broke on the counter-attack and Ugo Ehiogu made a late challenge on Labant and was duly booked.

Unfortunately for the £8m man, who grabbed Boro's last-gasp winner against Blackburn seven days earlier in the FA Cup, it was his second yellow card and referee Chris Foy dismissed the England man - his second red card in a row at Upton Park after last season's early bath.

And McClaren, who saw Ehiogu disappear down the tunnel for stitches on his nose at the start of the encounter, believed he was unlucky.

"It was one of those games in football where we all have to take it on the chin - or on the nose like Ugo did," said McClaren.

"I thought he was a bit unfortunate to be sent off because it was clumsy rather than malicious. But we had gone looking for the equaliser and got caught short that was it.

"The first booking was actually an innocuous one. I could not tell how Ugo was feeling because of the mist that was flying around the dressing room."

West Ham had the lions-share of possession in the second half, but Schwarzer was rarely troubled with his handling on crosses good.

In fact, barring the goal, the only shot at goal worth noting from the hosts was a wayward strike from tricky Joe Cole after skipping round Robbie Mustoe.

But, likewise, David James was not really being tested and the side with the best defensive record on home soil in the Premiership never really looked like conceding.

Visiting strikers Alen Boksic and Benito Carbone failed to get going and both had efforts which missed the target.

Boro's best opportunity came from Paul Ince, who was subjected to his usual taunts of "Judas" on his return to his old ground.

The former Hammers midfielder's powerful drive, from just inside the box, was superbly turned away by World Cup hopeful James.

Defeat may not have been entirely deserved for Boro, but McClaren is convinced his side's rejuvenation will be back on track sooner rather than later.

"Defensively we were solid, very good in midfield and we posed a threat with Carbone and Boksic up front," said the former Manchester United No 2.

"Those two over the next few weeks will get more reward than what they did at West Ham.

"Carbone and Boksic, the link we have been missing is there, it's been there for the past two games and it was nice to show that in our away match. Unfortunately the goal wasn't there for us."

Read more about Boro here.