MIDDLESBROUGH reject Alun Armstrong returned with a vengeance to make Bryan Robson rue the day he sold the Geordie striker to Ipswich.

Armstrong, on his first appearance at the Riverside since his £800,000 move in December, struck twice in five minutes immediately after the break to wipe out the lead Dean Windass had handed Boro in the 38th minute.

If Easter is a time for renewal and redemption, then relegation-haunted Boro can hardly claim fulfilment after failing to build on Saturday's remarkable 3-0 victory at Arsenal.

Windass's second goal since his £1m arrival from Bradford City last month, gave Boro an interval lead they scarcely deserved.

The burly midfielder collected a through-ball from skipper Paul Ince to power forward and fire home an angled right-foot drive from just inside the penalty area.

Amazingly, it was Boro's first goal on home territory in five games and over seven hours' play.

But Armstrong, whose spell on Teesside was dogged by serious injuries, quickly punctured the mood of jubilation among the Boro faithful when he went to work only 15 seconds after half-time.

Hartlepool-born Boro fan Mark Venus pumped the ball upfield and Jermaine Wright provided the lay-off for Armstrong to unleash a right-foot drive from around 25 yards which comprehensively beat keeper Mark Schwarzer.

Five minutes later, former Boro target Marcus Stewart, who has grabbed 21 goals this season, turned provider when he delivered a near-post cross from the left which Armstrong flicked home after beating Dean Gordon to the ball.

It took Armstrong's tally for Ipswich to eight goals in 13 starts and he could have helped himself to a hat-trick in the 71st minute, but headed over on the end of Jim Magilton's free-kick.

When he was withdrawn by manager George Burley ten minutes from time, Armstrong was afforded a standing ovation from a home crowd who remember the role he played in Boro's promotion campaign three years ago.

All the talk on Teesside now is of the struggle against the drop.

But while the embattled Robson may have again opted for the sanctuary of a seat in the stand, his listing among Boro's football staff on the official team sheet appeared to be further evidence that the manager is easing himself back into the frame with a possible view to resuming full control next season.

The future of Terry Venables remains unclear, but Boro's head coach was certain of one thing yesterday - and that was the sense in sticking to an unchanged side in the wake of the Arsenal triumph.

Aussie Paul Okon was again deployed as a sweeper, but the five-man Boro defence soon found themselves stretched with the visitors utilising the full width of the pitch in an enterprising opening.

Ipswich left-back Herman Hreidarsson hoisted a dangerous ball across goal and Armstrong emerged on the blind side of defence to connect with a right-foot shot which he couldn't quite control.

In a rare early Boro sortie, Gordon's low cross from the left was touched on by Alen Boksic but eluded Windass with the goal gaping in front of him.

Venus was cautioned in the 22nd minute for abruptly halting Christian Karembeu's progress.

But whether it was by fair means or foul, Ipswich were still the dominant force. The manner in which they monopolised possession in the first half hour was at times embarrassing and when Hreidarsson centred once more from the left, Schwarzer was happy to see Jermaine Wright's glancing header clear the bar.

The imposing figure of Titus Bramble then loomed large at either end in the space of two minutes. First he applied a vital block to deny Boksic and then forced a point-blank save from Schwarzer.

After Windass had given Boro a surprise lead, Jason Gavin was booked for kicking the ball away at a free-kick which almost yielded a swift reply.

Referee Steve Bennett advanced the free-kick ten yards when Karembeu and Hamilton Ricard failed to retreat and Martijn Reuser's effort brought a brilliant one-handed save from Schwarzer.

Armstrong served notice of intent two minutes before the break when his close-range volley was met with a desperate block by Ugo Ehiogu.

Having levelled, Armstrong kept Schwarzer on alert with an effort that proved a carbon-copy of the killer goal which arrived moments later.

By contrast, Boro lacked the cutting edge to get back into the match. Boksic miskicked in a one-on-one with keeper Richard Wright and the home fans' penalty appeals failed to influence Mr Bennett when Gordon went down under the challenge of former Sunderland full-back Chris Makin, 13 minutes from time.