RATHER than dwell on the set-back of having a nine-match unbeaten run halted last weekend, Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray senses his players are even more confident of staying in the promotion mix until May.

Despite losing for the first time since September 29 at Cardiff City a week ago, the manner of the defeat has actually strengthened the Boro boss' belief that they have the capability to compete for a top two place.

Cardiff leapfrogged Middlesbrough - who learned yesterday that Jonathan Woodgate (calf), George Friend (hamstring) and Faris Haroun (calf) will all be missing for two weeks at least - to move in to second place courtesy of those three points, but the 1-0 scoreline didn't reflect the balance of play in South Wales.

The second half performance from Mowbray's team at the Cardiff City Stadium deserved to earn at least a point, having created numerous chances and prevented the Bluebirds from threatening at the opposite end.

And if Middlesbrough remain confident and return to winning ways at home to Bristol City this afternoon then they will reclaim second spot if Cardiff lose at Barnsley.

Mowbray said: "The results will suggest over the next few weeks how this group of players will react to that defeat. But I would have to say they performed well at Cardiff. We had 23 shots to eight by our statistics. If we had gone there and been battered, it could have been different.

"I think these players have come away from Cardiff thinking 'if they can be up there all season, why can't we?' Now we have to get results and move on. That's what football is about. We have to keep going.

"There are 29 games to go and we might need to win another 15 or 16 games, if we can, draw a few to be right up there, to stay up there. We have to keep winning."

To boost Middlesbrough's cause over the next two games the chairman, Steve Gibson, has done his bit to help keep the fans inside the Riverside Stadium.

After years of declining attendance figures, a cut-price ticket offer ended in the stadium's biggest crowd since relegation from the Premier League turning out to watch the 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday on November 9.

Gibson has also given the go-ahead for a buy one get one game free deal ahead of today's date with Bristol City and Tuesday's visit of Huddersfield Town. Approaching 20,000 tickets have been sold so far and Mowbray is hoping the fans who witnessed success over the Owls will want to come back.

"It can be hard because Christmas is an expensive time of the year, it'll be interesting to see what the crowd will be like," said Mowbray. "I would like to think there will be a few of the crowd from the Sheff Wed game impressed and would like to come back. Let's hope the team can put on a performance that makes them come again on Tuesday as well.

"Any club doing well has to deal with rising expectations. It's a very tight league. If you lose two on the bounce you will find yourself out of the top six. We have to keep going.

"The Teesside crowd is football knowledgeable. Every game is tight. They will know Bristol City will come to make it frustrating for us. I'm sure they will be patient. You can't romp your way to promotion."

Despite making a couple of calls to Premier League managers expressing an interest in making a loan signing before Thursday's transfer deadline closed, Mowbray didn't strengthen his defensive ranks.

He will look again in the January transfer window, when he is likely to ask the question to Liverpool if he can take Stewart Downing on loan if Middlesbrough remain firmly in the promotion mix.

The fact he only has the same faces with him for the rest of the year, however, does not concern Mowbray. He feels his defence is slightly vulnerable if another injury arrives this weekend, but thinks his squad is strong enough to cope overall.

He said: "It needs to be. The biggest list I have had is the injury list but it's been a great credit to the squad. Nobody has let us down in this squad. Even if a player has to play out of position they have not let us down. This is a totally different team, squad, this year.

"Whatever team I put out on Saturday is more than capable of picking up the three points. It would have been nice to get straight back in to a midweek game after a defeat, but the positive is that we have had a week to get our teeth in to Bristol City.

"Bristol City have lost many of their nine defeats by the odd goal. We have to be professional, be aware of their strengths in the speed from Albert Adomah, Neil Danns, Sam Baldock … they can all threaten. Hopefully we will have enough on the day."