Fulham 2, Middlesbrough 1.

BOASTING a miserable record of no wins from eight away from home before last night's game, the last thing Middlesbrough wanted a week before Christmas was a trip to Craven Cottage.

Their capitulation in the capital showed just why and, despite enjoying spells of possession, they never really looked like staging a fightback after going two down inside 36 minutes, only to be gifted a goal with 16 minutes remaining.

Fulham were two goals up thanks to Heldar Helguson and Brian McBride by the time Mark Viduka dinked an effort over Antti Niemi, and the Teessiders then mounted a spirited last quarter hour.

Stewart Downing had efforts saved and blocked and Yakubu's header was just wide of the target as Fulham defended too deeply as the pressure mounted.

The equaliser just wouldn't come, however, and a draw would have flattered the visitors.

They lasted tasted victory on their travels in April - a 1-0 win at the City of Manchester Stadium - and a worrying trend is developing amongst the teams at the bottom of the Premiership.

There are only four sides without a win on their travels in the top flight this season and not surprisingly they occupy the bottom four places with Boro topping that mini-league of away-day underachievers.

They could have done without an enforced defensive shake-up on the morning of the game when Jonathan Woodgate was ruled out with an ankle injury - Andrew Davies partnering Chris Riggott in central defence.

Woodgate is expected to be fit for Saturday's home game with Charlton.

Riggott was playing his first game since the 4-0 home defeat by Portsmouth back in August, ankle ligament damage keeping him on the sidelines.

Lee Cattermole was available again after his one-game suspension but Southgate opted to start with the youngster on the bench.

The Boro squad were supposed to be heading straight back to the North-East after the game, but Durham Tees-Valley Airport was closed because of fog - and they seemed in a hurry to make their mark at the Cottage.

Downing fired a free kick just over from 25-yards in the third minute and Niemi was forced to punch a corner clear from the same player soon after.

The England winger was again in the action in the eighth minute when his cross was cleared only as far as Julio Arca but his effort was blocked by Philippe Christanval.

James Morrison then got in on the act beating three Fulham defenders before shooting powerfully from the edge of the area - Niemi beating away his goalbound effort.

It was all going so well until on 11 minutes the Teessiders shot themselves in the foot. Moritz Volz got clear from Stuart Parnaby down the Fulham left too easily and cut into the box only to be tripped by George Boateng.

Referee Mike Dean had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Helguson side footed home.

The first away win of the season seemed further away than ever but Boro came back immediately with Parnaby and Viduka linking well down the right - the full-back's low cross cleared at the near post by Christanval.

If the game was supposed to be a low-key Monday night affair no-one bothered telling the players.

Fulham should have been two-up on 20 minutes when Helguson was put through on goal but his effort lacked any power and was easily dealt with by Mark Schwarzer.

Former Boro favourite Franck Queudrue had gone un-noticed up to this point but he had no intention of having a quiet night in his first game against his old club.

If his first effort from a free-kick 20 yards out was embarrassing - the ball flying well wide- his second a minute had Schwarzer scrambling across his goal-line only to see the Frenchman's header from a corner drift just wide of the post.

With Hartlepool-born Michael Brown putting himself around in typical fashion and Yakubu enjoying the physicality of the encounter with Christanval and Zat Knight the only surprise after half an hour was that the referee had not entered any names into his notebook.

The next entry, unfortunately for the Boro fans behind Niemi's goal, was McBride: 2-0, 35 minutes.

The move again came down the right and when McBride received possession just outside the area the defenders simply stood off him inviting the American to have a pop at goal.

He did, curling the ball beyond Schwarzer, via a slight touch from Riggott, and into the goalkeeper's left hand corner.

The ball was bypassing an ineffective Boro midfield and a hat-trick almost came McBride's way after Volz robbed Parnaby at the edge of the area in the 39th minute, but his snapshot from the edge of the box was just wide of post.

At the half-time whistle Southgate and Malcolm Crosby were in deep conversation and it seemed clear a change in tactics and personnel was on the cards.

Cattermole warming up at half time must have been some solace to the away fans on a freezing night in west London, and the 18-year-old replaced the ineffective Arca.

The Teessiders started the second period like they did the first - on the attack.

Viduka and Yakubu linked well only for the Nigerian to shoot wide. Morrison then decided to shoot from an angle rather than cross, screwing his effort horribly wide, much to the chagrin of Viduka.

A lull in proceedings followed, as the service to Boro's wingers dried up and the quality of the football on offer did likewise.

The next notable encounter saw Parnaby launch a wholehearted challenge on former team-mate Queudrue leaving the left-sided defender in a heap up against the advertising hoardings.

There was some concern when he stayed down but he was soon milking the crowd's applause as he staged a rapid recovery.

Unfortunately for Southgate's side, his seemed to be the only recovery of the night at that point as Boro struggled to put the Cottagers under any sustained pressure.

Southgate put Adam Johnson on for Morrison in the 73rd minute and within 60 seconds Boro were back in it with a goal from nothing when Yakubu played in Viduka and the Aussie calmly lifter the ball over Niemi as the keeper met him in the box - the ball beating Christanval's despairing efforts.

Southgate was left disappointed with his team's inability to turn pressure into goals.

''Even after the penalty we created chances and we came in at half-time not believing we were 2-0 down,'' he said.

''We never gave up and I thought we deserved something from the game but you can't give teams a goal start never mind a two-goal start."