DOWNBEAT Steve McClaren last night warned his Middlesbrough players to cut out defensive errors or risk ending the campaign wondering what might have been.

Boro drew 2-2 with West Brom at the Riverside Stadium and have still only kept two clean sheets in the Premiership this season - the last of which was back in August at Birmingham.

Victory over the Baggies would have ended a 12-month wait for back to back league wins and McClaren points to mistakes as his side's biggest problem.

Franck Queudrue, after dallying in possession, was to blame for Nathan Ellington's goal while Nwankwo Kanu grabbed a second after side-stepping Gareth Southgate.

And McClaren, whose side ironically are yet to concede in over seven and a half hours of UEFA Cup football this season, said: "It's very frustrating. Five or six weeks ago we were complaining about the lack of goals and entertainment at the Riverside - now we're getting that.

"You need to keep clean sheets. We always said we are capable of scoring two goals a game but we conceded two as well and you can't do that.

"It's disappointing the way we are conceding and it's something we need to address if we are to become more consistent.

"I don't think we are set up to do better in Europe. This team can play in Europe and in the Premier League.

"We have shown that. Credit to West Brom they have come here and got a point."

What surprised McClaren the most was the fact that it was the same outfield Boro line-up, with the exception of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's omission, which had beaten Fulham a week earlier at the same ground.

And the boss, who again changed systems at half-time, said: "It's a game of limiting your mistakes and we are making too many at present.

"When you look, it was nearly the same team that played Fulham.

"Adding another striker to the side at half-time was a positive move and we created enough chances to have scored more. When you have to score three or four goals to win games you know things need sorting out."

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