Middlesbrough bounce back

Fulham 0 Middlesbrough 2Middlesbrough erased the memories of last weekend's Highbury hammering and showed why they are many people's dark horses for a top-five finish as they recorded their first win of the season.

The last time Boro came to London their defence was repeatedly ripped apart as they lost 5-3 to Arsenal. But with Gareth Southgate back from injury, their defence immediately looked more secure. And Mark Viduka's first goal for the club and Szilard Nemeth's late second brought Steve McClaren's side a deserved, if unexciting, victory.

Middlesbrough, who saw Southgate return from injury for his first game of the season, certainly had the better of a diffident start. Aided by the slick surface provided by an early evening thunderstorm, their passes were sharp and their attacking intent clear.

As the game progressed Boro lost their early fluency and the game became scrappy. That enabled the Senegal international Bouba Diop, a master of the dark arts in the centre of midfield, to be in his element.

Sitting in front of the back four, he hassled and harried, snuffing out Boro's play in its embryonic stages, leaving the visitors struggling.

Fulham, however, sat back after half-time and the visitors quickly regained the initiative. They should have gone ahead after 48 minutes when Hasselbaink found space on the left and crossed for Viduka - stealing in at the back post - only for his boot to miss by inches.

Six minutes later the Australian striker made no mistake when Mendieta played in Hasselbaink, this time down the right. The Dutchman's cross was no less accurate than before but this time Viduka was up with the play to bundle home from close range.

Middlesbrough continued to press and nearly increased their lead five minutes later when Hasselbaink shot narrowly wide from a difficult angle. The visitors carried on having the better of things and made the game safe when Frank Queudrue's cross found Szilard Nemeth whose near-post shot made it 2-0.

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Volz, Bocanegra, Goma, Knight, Legwinski, Diop (Boa Morte 74), Radzinski, Jensen, John (McBride 62), Cole. Subs not used: Crossley, Pembridge, Bonnissel.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Queudrue, Riggott, Southgate, Parnaby, Boateng (Doriva 89), Mendieta (Nemeth 77), Parlour, Zenden, Viduka (Job 71), Hasselbaink. Subs Not Used: Nash, Cooper. Booked: Zenden. Goals: Viduka 54, Nemeth 79.