Middlesbrough 2, Northampton Town 0.

ON the day the club's most prolific striker completed his move away from the Riverside Stadium, goal-shy South Korean striker Dong-Gook Lee's blushes were finally spared.

Just hours after learning Ayegbeni Yakubu had been given permission to complete his £11.25m transfer to Everton, manager Gareth Southgate turned to Lee in the Carling Cup.

And, despite a frustrating first half, the bargain buy from Asian football struck a 25-yard stunner which finally ended a goal drought that spans almost a year - he last scored for Pohang Steelers in the Korean League last November.

Lee, making his 15th appearance and fourth start since arriving in January, delivered his fantastic strike 13 minutes after Fabio Rochemback had crashed home a 35-yard free-kick for his sixth goal for the club.

Northampton, of League One, could easily have been in front when the ever-improving Brazilian struck a stunningly precise dead ball to edge Boro ahead.

Lee will hope his career in the North-East will now take off.

AT times Dong-Gook Lee's Middlesbrough career has bordered on embarrassing. Regularly showing nice touches was not a substitute for scoring goals.

Now, having finally opened his account for the club, eight months after first arriving from Korean football, Lee is finally up and running.

With a stunning 25-yard strike that zipped off the surface and nestled into goalkeeper Mark Bunn's bottom left corner against Northampton, one of the superstar's of South Korea has scored his first goal in English football.

It may only have been against League One opposition, but Lee can at least now take heart and encouragement from the fact he has proven he can still strike a ball.

For months that has not looked the case. Now manager Gareth Southgate, actively on the look out for a new striker despite spending £6m on Mido, will be hoping better times are ahead.

The fans were beginning to turn on Lee and he could well have been one to have been sold off in January - he still could. But at least he has a platform to build on.

It is unlikely he will be able to conjour up 15 goals this season, but Southgate will be aware his Asian striker must continue to show a similar eye for goal.

Prior to his strike against the Cobblers, Lee had looked a nervous wreck. After going close with a decent header early on, he lost his touch and composure.

His goal, 24 minutes from time, highlighed to the 11,000 inside the ground that he does have something to offer after all.

It will be back to the bench again on Saturday when Birmingham come to town. But maybe, just maybe, this is the sign of better times ahead for Mr Lee.

But Southgate, expected to welcome former Newcastle full-back Alessandro Pistone to the training ground later today, remains in the hunt for a new forward. He is considering a move for Manchester City's unwanted Greek striker Georgios Samaras, while he has also been linked with an audacious swoop for Inter Milan's Adriano.

The number of empty red seats was high last night, although the crowd did not break the record low for the Riverside, set on September 11, 2001.

That was, ironically, against Northampton at this stage of the League Cup and only 3,915 supporters turned out to witness Steve McClaren's first win in charge.

Southgate, McClaren's successor, has had more time to settle but he was keen to guard against complacency when faced with Football League opposition.

Despite resting Mark Schwarzer, George Boateng, Mido, Julio Arca and Jonathan Woodgate, the Boro boss felt he had the players required to claim a result.

If one thing appeared to be lacking from his side it was goals. Only Stewart Downing, selected on the right, could boast double figures for the club, with the starting line-up amassing just 21 between them.

Had a goal arrived early on the pattern of the game may have been different. Both sides, however, could have been in front within the half-hour.

Lee, making his first start of the season, came within inches of opening his account for Middlesbrough but his cushioned header from Luke Young's centre dropped wide.

Northampton goalkeeper Mark Bunn was alert to deny another fine header three minutes later. This time Adam Johnson was denied when he arrived in the area to meet Downing's cross.

But while Middlesbrough looked more comfortable in possession, it was Northampton who had the best opportunity to open the scoring in the first half.

After stand-in goalkeeper Brad Jones had parried Brad Johnson's drive, Cobblers striker Ian Henderson reacted sharply but his diving header rebounded off the post to safety.

Had Northampton been Premier League opposition it is difficult to imagine Middlesbrough being level at the break.

The home team's largely youthful defence, whose average age dropped when teenager Seb Hines replaced Andrew Davies after an aerial collision with Lee Cattermole, was leaving gaps for the visitors.

And, after Lee had volleyed wide following Tuncay's knock down, that was further illustrated when 17-year-old Alex Dyer went close.

The young debutant was allowed to pick up and turn inside the Middlesbrough area, before skipping round Young and seeing a powerful drive bounce off Jones.

There were a couple of other shaky moments defensively, although the fact Northampton had failed to make the most of their chances left Southgate's men in the driving seat to progress.

And there was a collective sigh of relief when Rochemback, carrying on in the good form he showed against Newcastle, delivered his striking masterclass.

Few would have believed the opening goal was on the cards when referee Neil Swarbrick awarded a free-kick mid-way inside the Northampton half, following Brad Johnson's foul on Lee.

But Rochemback, whose shooting was wayward against the Magpies, got his aim spot on to find the bottom right corner of Bunn's net with a powerful low drive just eight minutes after the interval.

It could have been two soon after. Lee's header from Rochemback's corner was saved by Bunn and then Hines' acrobatic kick bounced off the bar.

But Lee's rewards finally came on 66 minutes. After picking up play 25 yards from goal, he steadied himself before striking low into Bunn's bottom left corner.