MIDDLESBROUGH'S UEFA Cup bow on foreign soil last night was sadly blighted by violence on the Bazaly Stadium terraces prior to Steve McClaren's men booking their place in the group stage of the competition.

With no segregation in place, around 200 rival supporters battled before Boro's players showed they were not affected by the off-the- field behaviour by restricting Banik Ostrava to just the one goal in the first round second leg.

The three-goal lead, achieved at the Riverside Stadium a fortnight earlier proved sufficient to send Boro into the second phase in their first European adventure.

And teenager James Morrison, who hails from Darlington and progressed through Boro's Academy, made sure in the closing seconds when he rounded the keeper and slotted into an empty net.

McClaren's side had to play the last 32 minutes with just ten men after Franck Queudrue was sent off for his second bookable offence.

But Banik could not find a way through the determined and desperate Boro backline, led by Gareth Southgate and Colin Cooper, who played his first European game for the club 19 years after his debut.

The Czech champions' tough midfielder David Bystron had given the vociferous home support a glimmer of hope in the first half with a super volley.

But there was just no other way through and it is Boro who will be in Tuesday's group stage draw in Nyon.

On a ground-breaking night for the Teesside outfit, the on-field action, thankfully, did help the supporters to concentrate on the pitch.

Contrary to the Czech media's conspiracy theory, the match-winners from the first leg, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka, were back at home watching events unfold on television.

Banik's press corps had came up with the idea that the injuries to both men, a hamstring and back problem respectively, were designed to take the home side by surprise.

They thought manager Steve McClaren had flown Viduka and Hasselbaink in on a separate flight.

But their fears were allayed when Morrison and 20-year-old Stewart Downing were asked to provide the width.

Morrison - one of five members of last season's FA Youth Cup winning team in last night's squad - was handed his first start for the club on the right of midfield.

Meanwhile Gaizka Mendieta, back from a calf injury sustained on August 28, was only named on the bench.

The excitement felt by the travelling supporters, some of whom had made the gruelling journey from the Czech capital Prague during the day, was such that the gradual build-up of away support inside the ground started over two hours before kick-off.

Only 900 had official Boro tickets, yet there were many, many more dotted around the ground.

Fans eager to get a ticket generally did, with thousands of red and white shirts mixed in with the patriotic Banik support.

Despite the shame in one corner of the ground, the start was not delayed.

Trying their best to concentrate on football, Banik's intentions to try to claw their way back into this tie were clear.

Striker Michel Papadopulos was first to go close as he turned a cross just over the bar, although the referee spotted it was with his hand and brandished the yellow card after just three minutes.

To Boro's credit they responded by creating a couple of good opportunities.

Bolo Zenden, operating just behind front-man Szilard Nemeth, had a low shot saved by Martin Raska after Franck Queudrue's accurate pass.

Queudrue was then denied by Raska when the goalkeeper tipped a header from the Frenchman, after Downing's centre.

But Banik, playing some nice, intricate football, got the early goal they required to increase hope of a comeback of unforgettable proportions.

Midfielder Bystron met Zdenek Pospech's cross from the right with a sensational left foot volley that nestled into Mark Schwarzer's bottom left corner after 19 minutes.

Banik scored three goals inside ten minutes at the weekend and Boro , aware of their opponents' attacking threat, had to guard against that.

Frantisek Komnacky's men saw plenty of the ball but they struggled to find a way through the strong defensive line being held by Gareth Southgate and Cooper.

Boro's task was made even harder when left-back Queudrue was harshly shown the red card on 58 minutes.

The defender, having been booked for handball just moments earlier, was adjudged to have fouled Pospech, despite appearing to win the ball.

Queudrue's dismissal signalled the start of Banik's massive push to find the two goals that would send the game into extra-time.

Mario Licka's 25-yard drive was well saved by Schwarzer, while Zenden, now operating at left-back, cleared a Pospech centre off the line.

Schwarzer again had to be alert to stop a powerful header from Papadopulos as a second goal for the hosts looked inevitable.

But, despite plenty of pressure, the Aussie keeper was never really tested again and Morrison had the memorable task of completing the two-legged victory when he rounded Rasta before scoring.

Boro are now guaranteed at least four more matches against European opposition - a proud achievement for a club who have never previously mixed it with the continent's best.

Result: Banik Ostrava 1 Middlesbrough 1. (Boro win 4 - 1 on aggregate).

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