MIDDLESBROUGH striker Alen Boksic has promised that his best is yet to come after an injury-hit start to the season.

The Croatian has converted two penalties in as many games since his return from a five-week calf injury.

Boksic, Boro's player of the year last season when he top scored with 12 goals, was furious following suggestions that he feigned injury during his recent absence.

A crude tackle by Arsenal skipper Tony Adams on the opening day of the season left Boksic with a severe contusion and a number of burst blood vessels in the calf, an injury which was aggravated by air travel when he was called up for international duty.

The 31-year-old failed to make Croatia's World Cup qualifiers with Scotland and San Marino, and when he returned to Teesside there was no improvement in his injury.

But intensive treatment and rehabilitation meant he was able to make his comeback at Chelsea ten days ago, when he salvaged a point in a 2-2 draw with a disputed last-gasp spot-kick.

Boksic scored again from the spot in Saturday's dire 3-1 home defeat by Southampton, which brought to an end Boro's unbeaten four-match run in all competitions.

And as he prepared for Croatia's crucial home qualifier with Belgium on Saturday, Boksic insisted: ''After a few more games I will be fully fit, so I have to work even harder. There's a lot more to come from me in terms of performances.

''After not playing for five weeks everything is now okay, but I'm still not happy at some of the suggestions that I was not injured. That is not true.

"I'm back playing which is the most important thing to me, although I'm hoping to make progress with my game because at the moment I am nowhere near top form.

"As for the team, we have to think about our next League match at Charlton a week on Saturday. I am confident we can forget about the Southampton result and do well there.''

Dean Windass has a chance of returning at The Valley after missing the last two matches with a knee injury sustained in the win at Leicester on September 17.

Skipper Paul Ince should be back for the Worthington Cup third-round tie at Blackburn a week tonight after being a late withdrawal last weekend due to a viral infection.

* Boro full-back Curtis Fleming has been called up for the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier with Cyprus at Landsdowne Road on Saturday.

Fleming, 33 next Monday, won the last of his ten caps in the goalless game with Mexico in Dublin over three years ago.

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