HAVING silenced some of their doubters with Saturday’s 3-1 win over Hull, Matthew Bates claims Middlesbrough will continue to confound the critics in the remaining six matches of the season.

Boro recorded only their second win in 20 league games at the weekend, and while their recent record has been wretched, Gareth Southgate’s side still find themselves just two points off safety at the foot of the Premier League table.

The Teessiders’ survival prospects had been all but written off ahead of their relegation showdown with the Tigers, but with Saturday’s success having created renewed hope, Bates insists Boro remain confident of pulling off a great escape in the final six weeks of the season.

“We’ve given ourselves a lifeline,” said the defender, who has become a fixture in central midfield in recent weeks.

“A lot of people outside the club have written us off, but that’s certainly not the feeling amongst the lads.

“I still don’t think for one minute that we will go down.

There are a lot of teams still in there who can be relegated.

“People have written us off, but the players are desperate to stick together and fight our way through it.

“This was a massive three points because it has dragged a few teams nearer to where we are. We’re in a much better situation now than we were, but there is still a long way to go.”

Saturday’s game formed the first half of a must-win double-header, and Bates accepts the result will mean little if Boro fail to follow it up with another success against Fulham in five days time.

The Cottagers have recorded just one away win all season, and with matches against Arsenal and Manchester United following hot on the heels of this weekend’s game, the situation will look bleak if Boro do not make it two home victories in a row.

“As players, you do look at the fixture list,” said Bates.

“And after Fulham at home, we have Arsenal and Man United. You have to be realistic.

“We have to get three points this weekend and then go from there.

“Two wins would make a massive difference, and we have to build on this result and performance next week.

“The Fulham match is another huge game, but we can go into it on the back of that performance.

“In the position we are in, we still have absolutely nothing to lose.

“We will work on things in midweek and nail down the organisational side, but if we get another three points, things will really be looking up.”

Bates will be crucial to the organisational side of things, particularly if Southgate opts to name five attacking players for the second week in a row, but the 22-year-old has also emerged as an unlikely goalscoring force.

After 48 goalless senior appearances, he finally broke his goalscoring duck when he turned home Tony McMahon’s corner at the weekend, but having been anything but prolific since breaking into the first team, the youngster is warning Boro supporters not to expect a goal glut.

“I last scored in the FA Youth Cup in 2005,” he said.

“So we might have a bit of a long wait for the next one!

“Aggers (Steve Agnew) shouted for me to go up for the corner, so I did as I was told.

“It was a great ball from Tony, and I thought Jeremie (Aliadiere) would get a flick but he didn’t.

“I just stuck my left foot out and it went in. To be honest, I didn’t really know what to do after that.”