Super Cooper saver

Middlesbrough's head coach is convinced the scramble for top-flight survival will go virtually all the way to the end of the season.

That belief was reinforced by the struggle Boro endured before defender Colin Cooper rescued a point in Saturday's Riverside clash with rivals-in-distress City.

Boro are now unbeaten in ten games in League and Cup since Venables arrived to bail out beleaguered manager Bryan Robson.

Yet, despite the staggering about-turn in Boro's fortunes, only three points separate them from third-bottom City, who were full value for the draw after threatening to wreck Venables' proud record.

The result meant Boro had drawn twice with fellow strugglers in four days, and Venables said of the basement battle: "I think it's going to be one of the closest for years.

"Everton have lost to Manchester United and now they've got their game in hand on us against Leeds on Wednesday. That's very important for them.

"I don't know whether the relegation issue will go to the final day, but it will certainly go to very late in the season.''

Boro have drawn three successive games - and five of their last six in the League - and Venables admitted: "If you can win one then lose one, you're obviously better off points-wise.

"At the same time, it is good psychologically that we're not losing games. It means the confidence level doesn't go down.''

If Venables reckoned Boro were victims of rough justice in the 2-2 draw at Everton last Wednesday, when goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer claimed he was fouled in the lead-up to the home side's second leveller, then City boss Joe Royle had every right to feel aggrieved on Saturday.

Aussie wing-back Danny Tiatto saw an effort Royle described as "the goal of the month'' ruled out for offside (CORRECT - ONE WORD) against Darren Huckerby.

But the former Newcastle striker, although in an offside position when Tiatto shot, clearly wasn't interfering with play.

Referee Alan Wiley and his assistant got it wrong, and Royle complained: "The goal of the month has been disallowed. I think the video should embarrass the referee for the rest of his career.

"You never seem to see Man. United or Arsenal have a goal disallowed like that. It didn't even happen in Roy of the Rovers!''

Defender Steve Howey, another ex-Magpie in the City ranks, echoed his manager's sentiments. "I can't understand why the goal wasn't given,'' he said. "The linesman said Darren ran across Schwarzer's view.

"But we still went ahead and showed a great will to win which we've had in the last couple of games. Boro were always going to put pressure on us, but as a team we defended brilliantly.''

City have enlisted the help of a sports psychologist, who put them through a mind-over-matter test which involved chopping pieces of wood in half with their bare hands.

The sessions have helped the likes of relative newcomer Howey to bond with new teammates, and he added: "If things were judged on team spirit, we'd be right up there.

"It's all about being positive. At Newcastle, when Kevin Keegan was there and possibly under Kenny Dalglish, the team was always together. I don't know what it's like now, but eventually things died down in that respect.

"At City, we're very much together. We all socialise and that's important.''

Ukrainian winger Andrei Kanchelskis, on loan from Rangers, is the latest to join the Maine Road in-crowd.

He made his first start for City on Saturday and had an immediate impact with the right-wing cutback which unfortunate Boro defender Steve Vickers diverted into his own goal to hand the visitors a 28th-minute lead.

Alen Boksic displayed some sublime touches in tight areas as Boro tried to break through, but along with strike partner Hamilton Ricard and skipper Paul Ince, the Croatian ace was out of luck.

"Boksic was excellent,'' said Venables, "but I thought Hamilton did some good things as well and I think that's a partnership which is blossoming. He missed a couple of chances which, for him, should have been easy, but there was some good movement.

"However, because we were trying to get forward all the time, we left ourselves open. We've just got to take our time a bit more.

"We want to get people forward, but we must still be disciplined.''

It needed centre-back Cooper to fire home from a crowded goalmouth in the 61st minute, after Ricard had challenged for a Keith O'Neill corner, to finally bring Boro level.

But they had to play the last five minutes with ten men after wing-back O'Neill had been sent off for a diabolical tackle on midfielder Gerard Wiekens.

O'Neill wildly went over the top, with foot and arm up, and Venables said: "He knows what he did, but he said he thought he was going to get done and was protecting himself. He ended up hitting the boy unnecessarily.''

If Venables is right about the looming relegation fight, there are sure to be more flailing feet - and heaven knows what else - over the next three months.