BARRY ROBSON insists Scott McDonald remains as important as ever to Middlesbrough, even though he has still only scored one goal all season.

While Boro returned to the Championship’s top three after a 3-1 win at Doncaster on Tuesday, McDonald’s failure to find the target at the Keepmoat Stadium means he has now gone 11 successive matches without a goal.

The Australian’s struggles have piled pressure on the likes of Robson and Marvin Emnes, who have responded with an impressive return, but Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray is coming under increasing pressure to seek alternatives in attack.

Robson believes that would be wrong, and has highlighted the quality of McDonald’s all-round performance on Tuesday as evidence that his influence stretches way beyond what happens in the sixyard box.

McDonald drew the foul that created the gap for Robson’s first goal in South Yorkshire, and delivered the pass of the game to release Faris Haroun in the build-up to Emnes’ crucial effort on the stroke of half-time, efforts Robson feels should not be overlooked.

“I thought Scott was excellent against Doncaster, probably our best player,” said the Scotsman. “He had a major hand in two of the goals and was involved in pretty much everything we did well.

“Goals are only part of the story. In the first six or seven games of the season, Scott was terrific. He had four or five assists and was the best player in the team throughout that period. He’s not scoring at the moment, but I’ve seen him score at the highest level many times and I know it will come.”

Robson’s second goal on Tuesday came from the penalty spot, so given McDonald’s obvious need for a goal, and in the wake of the striker’s miscued miss at Southampton at the weekend, was there never a thought of passing over spot-kick duties?

“Scott’s not the type where you hand him a penalty just to get his name on the scoresheet,”

said Robson. “He’ll want to do it on his own because he’s a top player. He will score goals, don’t worry about that. And when one comes, a lot will come.”

The goals are certainly flowing for Robson, with this week’s brace making it six in his last 13 matches.

He has already beaten last season’s tally of five successes in the whole of the campaign, and looks certain to eclipse the seven goals he recorded for Celtic in his final season in Glasgow.

His thrusting runs from midfield have become a key feature of Middlesbrough’s attacking play, with his versatility enabling him to cut in from either flank, depending on which system Mowbray is operating.

Having taken time to find his feet under Gordon Strachan, the 32-year-old suddenly looks a cut above Championship level, with his goals return a welcome bonus given McDonald’s struggles and a lack of firepower in other areas of the field.

“I’ve always scored goals from midfield,” he said. “As a midfielder, it’s part of your job to try to chip in with a few. If I can score some goals, that has to be good for the team.

“Funnily enough, I got the two goals (at Doncaster), but it probably wasn’t one of my better games if I’m being honest.

The three points was the main aim after Saturday and I’m glad we got them.”

Tuesday’s performance represented a welcome return to form after Saturday’s no-show at St Mary’s, and Robson admits there was a shared determination to right a few wrongs after Middlesbrough’s worst display of the season.

“It’s hard to forget when you get beat 3-0 because we’re a lot better than that,” he said.

“I fancied us going down to Southampton, the way we’ve been playing of late, but it just didn’t happen.

“It’s not often you get a game where, apart from the keeper, everyone in the side isn’t at their best.

“It’s very rare that happens in football but, for some reason, that’s what happened on the day.

“It was frustrating, but we came out in the next game, got the three points and put out a statement showing that we’re going to bounce back.”