Boro mastermind Riverside revival

Boro rammed the critics' words back down their throats with an entertaining second-half display that saw them pull level on two separate occasions before Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink netted a winner six minutes from time.

The Riverside Stadium, which had thousands of empty seats despite a ticket offer for children, witnessed a truly remarkable fight-back which could well have gone along way to ensuring a few more fans turn up for next Sunday's visit of West Brom.

The new electronic scoreboards at either end of the ground had looked destined to highlight Fulham's first top-flight win on Teesside in 56 years when striker Collins John struck a sensational opener just nine minutes in.

Even after James Morrison had equalised it did not look like being Boro's day when towering midfielder Papa Bouba Diop headed the Londoners back in front 20 minutes from time.

However a ridiculous Aiyegbeni Yakubu goal, when a miscued Hasselbaink shot hit the Nigerian before rolling in, and a low strike from the Dutchman ensured Boro turned a losing position into a winning one for the first time since overcoming Crystal Palace 14 months ago.

In fact it is only the fourth time Steve McClaren has witnessed his team do such a thing in 167 Premiership fixtures in charge.

And now he will be looking for that to be the start of a good run of form as he looks to guide the Teessiders back to within touching distance of the top four again.

Boro have been consistently inconsistent domestically and that is primarily why a mid-table placing remains the side's positioning in the table.

Having failed to win consecutive Premiership matches since last November, it is for that reason a concerted push for a Champions League spot fails to materialise.

As well as the resting of players and changing systems, McClaren can also point to an unpredictable injury list as one of the main excuses for Boro's shortcomings. Yesterday was no different.

Young Aussie Brad Jones was asked to deputise for goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. His World Cup play-off penalty shoot-out heroics last week arrived at the cost of a shoulder problem that he was unable to shrug off.

There was also a place for Morrison on the right of a midfield three after Gaizka Mendieta was ruled out with the calf injury picked up in training on Thursday. The defence was also apparently shored up by the return of captain Gareth Southgate.

But, despite the return of the 35-year-old, there was an obvious, albeit unexplainable, hesitancy and nervousness in the home defence from the first whistle.

Before three minutes had even elapsed on the new scoreboards, Franck Queudrue had already made a complete mess of a routine crossfield pass to Stuart Parnaby and Fulham's forward-thinkers were afforded far too much space in and around the area.

And, after a couple of powerful runs from Yakubu had come to nothing, the visitors successfully achieved what they had looked more than capable of doing. They scored an early opening goal.

Within seconds of appeals for a penalty for a shove on Yakubu falling on deaf ears, Fulham counter-attacked through the lively Steed Malbranque and forced a throw in, level with the Boro box.

Niclas Jensen's throw was volleyed by Sylvain Legwinski high into striker John. John contrived to take a superb first touch with his chest and struck a sweet left-foot volley on the turn into Jones' top left corner.

Question marks have to be undoubtedly raised as to whether centre-back Chris Riggott gave the young striker too much time, but nothing should detract from John's moment of pure brilliance.

It was the sort of strike that deserves to win matches but, with gaps appearing regularly in both defences, there was a sense the game had more than the one goal in it.

And, after Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink had taken his eye off the ball at the very last moment to completely miss Fabio Rochemback's cross, Fulham could quite easily have gone two up.

Legwinski was the provider again. The Frenchman picked out Brian McBride at the back post and the American's header across goal dropped just the wrong side of the woodwork.

Even though the Cottagers looked dangerous when they moved forward, Boro had created sufficient chances to have pulled level before half-time.

Queudrue's diving header, when he met Rochemback's corner at the near post, was stopped on the line by a fortunate Warner.

The rumblings in the Riverside crowd gradually grew stronger as the half progressed and much of their frustration was not without foundation, as basic passes continually went astray.

In Malbranque, Fulham had exactly the sort of creative midfielder a Mendieta-less Boro cried out for in the opening half yesterday.

Forget the mutterings of a January swoop for Roy Keane, Boro were starved of invention and a player capable of breaking from midfield with pace and power.

Harsh words needed to be said in the home dressing room at the interval and in a bid to turn the scoreline around McClaren changed systems.

By introducing Szilard Nemeth as a second half substitute for Emanuel Pogatetz, the Boro boss discarded the wing-backs and adopted the diamond midfield, with Nemeth operating behind the front two.

It was a decision which further opened up a match in which both sets of players regularly found acres of space.

And, despite reverting to a more defensive flat back four, left-back Queudrue emerged as the most likely man in a Boro shirt who was going to create an equaliser.

It was the former Lens defender's crossing from the left that was causing Fulham the most problems. From one an unmarked Hasselbaink was denied a goal by team-mate Riggott's back, while from another Yakubu headed inches wide.

McBride headed against the foot of Jones' right post on the hour but it was suddenly Boro who were the most dangerous and they were rewarded not long after.

Morrison was picked out unmarked at the back post by Yakubu and the young midfielder took a touch before placing his shot beyond Warner to equalise.

However, as thoughts of a rare come from behind win looked to be on the cards, Fulham lost the lead for just six minutes.

This time striker John assisted and his corner fell to the tallest man on the pitch, Diop, who leapt above Queudrue to head Fulham back in front.

But instead of allowing heads to drop, Boro responded in exactly the right manner and took just seven minutes to square things up for a second time - and in bizarre fashion.

Southgate's centre across the six-yard box fell to Hasselbaink at the back post. His tame shot rolled towards goal and hit the leg of Yakubu and trickled over the line.

And, despite Fulham's claims the Nigerian was offside, the goal stood and it lifted the Boro team to such an extent that they grabbed a valuable three points.

On this occasion there was no such controversy. Hasselbaink rounded full-back Moritz Volz, after being picked out by Nemeth, before firing low past Warner to secure an entertaining Boro win.

Result: Middlesbrough 3, Fulham 2.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.