The problems continue to mount for Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson after a Halloween horror show at Wimbledon.

A penalty from John Hartson six minutes from time was enough to send Boro tumbling out of the Worthington Cup last night.

The largely disappointing tie looked destined for extra time when Hartson found space on the right.

His cross was headed goalwards by Par Karlsson, but the ball struck Curtis Fleming's arm and referee Graham Poll had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Mark Crossley got a good hand on the spot-kick but could not keep it out and now Boro's season is rapidly heading towards crisis point.

In truth the first division side just about shaded it, creating the better chances and looking more determined than their opponents.

But despite the defeat, Robson remained defiant. "I am calm,'' he stressed. "I was not pleased about Ipswich but tonight and at Charlton we have deserved something better.

"The media are building it up a bit again - last year they tried to get me the sack and we finished 12th.

"There's always pressure in this game because we want to be a winner but there's not really much I can do under the circumstances. The lads are working really hard, but we didn't get any breaks.

"We have been fairly solid, but going forward we are lacking confidence.

"Sometimes your best players earn the breaks for you and unfortunately we are missing far too many of them at this moment in time.''

''I'm disappointed we went out of the cup as, no disrespect to Wimbledon, it was to a first division team. I thought we produced enough chances to win it.

''It's frustrating as a manager because we've had a run of injuries and we can't get anything going. Every game just seems to be tough for us at the moment.''

Despite spending around £70m in the pursuit of Premiership and cup success, Robson has been blighted by injuries to his players.

So he will not end his Riverside reign and is convinced chairman Steve Gibson will not force him out of the door.

He said: ''The chairman has given me full backing.

"He realises the situation. The new players I've brought in have not been available and he feels it will be fine when we get them back.

''You can't spend all the money I have and have all the players on the treatment table, not on the pitch.''

Wimbledon had the better of a disappointing first half, played out in an eerie atmosphere at Selhurst Park in front of under 4,000 fans.

They should have been ahead on seven minutes when Karlsson found space in the box but fired his shot wide over the far post.

Boro were slow to get going and struggled to create any chances of note.

Hamilton Ricard almost put Joseph Desire Job in the clear on 13 minutes but Dons defender Mark Williams came in with a last-ditch tackle.

Shortly before the half hour, Job met a cross from Gianluca Festa but his scuffed shot was pushed round the post by home keeper Kelvin Davis.

Back at the other end Wimbledon should have taken the lead when Alan Kimble's cross was inch-perfect for Hartson but the big Welshman glanced his header wide of the fat post.

Moments later Karlsson got free again but this time his shot brought the best out of Crossley.

Boro finally woke up in the 40th minute, when Noel Whelan's speculative 30-yard volley beat Davis but just cleared the bar.

Early in the second half Wimbledon had another chance when Marcus Gayle was sent clear by Jonathan Hunt, but the striker pulled his shot across the face of goal.

Ricard produced some trickery down the left and his cross was met by Fleming who failed to direct his header on target.

Just before the hour Job was brought down 20-yards from goal and from the resulting free kick substitute Neil Maddison brought a brilliant save out of Davis.

The visitors were beginning to take control and had another good chance minutes later when good work by Whelan put in Dean Gordon.

But the defender could only find the side netting from an acute angle.

Another Fleming cross found Ricard but again the striker failed to find the target.

Having failed to take their chances Middlesbrough were punished as the Dons fought their way back into the game.

A centre by Karlsson picked out Hartson in space but he headed straight at Crossley and Boro were left to rue their missed opportunities when Hartson converted his spot kick five minutes from time