DELIGHTED Steve McClaren last night revealed how he believes the decision to hand Middlesbrough a late penalty at Stamford Bridge was the correct thing to do.

Trailing 2-1 to Chelsea with 90 minutes on the clock, referee Rob Styles pointed to the spot after substitute Graeme Le Saux had handled inside the area.

Mr Styles had waved play on until his assistant raised his flag and indicated that it had been deliberate handball and a penalty should be awarded.

Unsurprisingly Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri thought that it was unintentional, but McClaren said: "It was a penalty.

"You have in fact got a linesman who, to his credit, has made a brave decision under what must have been severe pressure.

"But he has stuck to his guns and maintained that it is a penalty and I think that it was the right thing to do."

The late equaliser, however it came, was exactly what Boro deserved after a rallying second half performance that saw them dominate Chelsea in front of their own fans.

And when Croatian Alen Boksic, playing his first match since suffering a calf injury in the opening day defeat to Arsenal, powerfully hit the ball beyond Chelsea stopper Ed de Goey, McClaren revealed he could not have wished for a better player step up to take it.

An the Boro chief also indicated that last season's top scorer could quite easily have been sat on the sidelines at the time of the incident.

"I had thought about taking Alen off," said McClaren. "He has only been training this week after quite a time being out injured.

"But luckily he was on the pitch and there is nobody else you could trust more than Alen to score in that type of situation with 90 minutes gone.

"He's missed three weeks so he was a little tired but we just felt that a player like him is always going to have one chance and it came."

Boro were outclassed by an impressive Chelsea during the opening 45 minutes and the Blues, with two goal man Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink outstanding, were able to find gaps all over the pitch to exploit.

But when the sides came out for the second period McClaren brought on Robbie Stockdale, who grabbed Boro's first, and changed formation.

And the former Manchester United number two was pleased with the way his players reacted positively to the change of approach.

"We had to change something," he said. "I didn't think that we had got into the game at all and that's why I brought Robbie on.

"We had been thinking about bringing on Robbie during the first half, it was very close to us putting him on when it was 2-0.

"But we thought that we would wait until half-time and then we would be able to give everyone their orders and I was pleased with the way everyone responded."

With England defender Ugo Ehiogu ruled out with a back injury many thought Chelsea would have broken down the Boro backline with ease.

But Republic of Ireland Under 21 international Jason Gavin filled that breach superbly alongside Gareth Southgate.

And McClaren praised Gavin for his performance, he said: "It was a blow to lose Ugo but I thought Jason Gavin grew in confidence as the game went on.

"In the second half I thought he was superb. And I also thought that Paul Ince's leadership qualities shone through as did Gareth's."

Boro are now unbeaten in three Premiership matches after wins against West Ham and Leicester, and now the draw at Chelsea.

And when Southampton visit the Riverside on Saturday confidence will be high within the dressing room for another good result.

McClaren said: "It's just amazing what hard work and character can do. This week has been a very good week for us.

"Last Monday when we came from behind to beat Leicester that was great, but to come from two goals down to draw against, arguably, one of the best teams in the Premiership today is tremendous."

* Meanwhile McClaren is expecting to hear today whther a bid to bring in Italian full-back Antonio Benarrivo has been successful.

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