Jason Steele'S mentor has questioned the thinking of the Middlesbrough supporters that had knocked the club's promising young goalkeeper.

Stephen Pears, the goalkeeping coach who has helped the County Durham shot-stopper through the ranks since his academy days, was stunned to hear some of the criticism hurled in Steele's direction following his return from injury.

Despite having little chance of stopping the three goals which he conceded in his first two matches back in the team, the 21-year-old was unfairly blamed by some fans for a poor couple of results.

But Steele turned in a man-of-the-match display to silence his doubters on Saturday, when he made a string of saves to help Middlesbrough return to winning ways with a 2-0 success over promotion rivals Derby County.

Pears said: "Jason Steele is a good goalkeeper. A very good goalkeeper. It was unfair the criticism he got. I don't know what the fans want to see, I really don't. They should want to see a good, young goalkeeper in goal for Middlesbrough and that's what we have got.

"I did not think he had a chance with any of them (the goals he let in). He did not have a chance. The fans should be backing him all the way, supporting him. To see a top, goalkeeper, a local lad, like him in goal for us, should please fans."

Having had to endure some criticism from the supporters, though, it was an indication of the England Under-21 international's character that he performed to the level he did against Derby.

Pears said: "For Jason to hear some of things that were being said of him was unfair. He had not played all season, he had been out with a serious injury and then he came back in - did nothing wrong - and was being singled out.

"But it was a sign of his maturity that he came through all of that and turned in a performance like he did against Derby. He had not had too many saves to make in the other two games, but he made some very good saves on Saturday. That's what he's like though, he is a young player with a fantastic attitude."

And Pears thinks Steele's recovery from the wrist bone injury which he sustained in the days building up to the season opener in August has been pleasing.

"Allan McGregor, the Rangers keeper, was out for 18 months with the same injury," he said. "That could have easily been the case with Jason.

"A lot of keepers have had the problem and have been out for different lengths of time. It is a serious injury but Jason has come back from it and it was good to see him play like he did on Saturday."

Steele's return to fitness means Carl Ikeme is unlikely to return to Middlesbrough and he has been offered a new contract at Wolves.

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Former Darlington striker Curtis Main further highlighted his goalscoring potential with a brace in Middlesbrough reserves' 4-1 win over Gateshead yesterday.

Main, released by the Quakers at the end of last season, continued his impressive run since moving to Boro by scoring either side of Andy Halliday and Luke Williams' goals.

Gateshead pulled one back through Rob Briggs, but the on-looking Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray will have noted the solid displays from many of his fringe players.

Middlesbrough: Montgomery, Pilatos, Hines, Atkinson, Reach, Smallwood, Dolan (Weldon 61), L Williams, Main, Halliday (Wyke 70), Kink (Brobbel 61). Subs: Bland (gk).

Gateshead: Farman (Deasy (46), Doyle, Rents, Briggs, Clarke, Boyes, Brittain, Short, Fisher, Marshall, Moore. Subs: Gilbert, Cox, Evans.