MIDDLESBROUGH'S attempts to bury their Wimbledon cup hoodoo ended in failure last night, but a mouth-watering fourth round tie against manager Steve McClaren's former employers Manchester United is still there for the taking.

A truly forgettable encounter - that rarely rose above the mediocre - produced no goals, and the prospect of more of the same in the replay next Tuesday.

The Teessiders had fallen foul of the Dons in both the FA and Worthington Cups last season, and they couldn't argue that the south London outfit deserve another go this time after battling throughout the 90 minutes.

A late strike from Gianluca Festa that came back off the crossbar was the closest Boro came to scoring, and the lack of firepower must now be a major cause for concern for Steve McClaren.

Boro have scored just three goals in their last nine outings, and the starting line-up was again missing their most likely source - Croatian striker Alen Boksic

The game was played on the 25th anniversary of the two sides first meeting - again in the third round of the FA Cup - but the game never lived up to a party billing

Boro's England defender Gareth Southgate described Sunday's fourth round draw of a potential game against Man Utd as 'extra incentive' but it appeared that didn't get through to the players on the pitch. Both sides opened nervously, wary of the still rock hard surface that saw the game called off on Saturday, with Boro also coming to terms with an unaccustomed back three formation.

With Carlos Marinelli joining Boksic on the sidelines, McClaren opted to play three centre-backs with Jason Gavin joining Gareth Southgate and Gianluca Festa, and Franck Queuedrue and Robbie Stockdale employed as wing-backs.

The first effort on goal came after four minutes when a Stockdale cross found the head of Robbie Mustoe, but he couldn't direct his effort on target.

A few minutes later and an error by Festa almost allowed Irish international David Connolly to capitalise but his effort was charged down. On 22 minutes a clever low corner by Paul Ince found Southgate on the run but his effort fflew a couple of yards over.

The game itself was providing little entertainment and even the a tie against Premiership champions Manchester United in the next round failed to inspire either side.

On 28 minutes the Dons busy left winger Kevin Cooper produced a rare piece of inventiveness, picking up possession on the left and unleashing a 25-yard drive that caught the unsighted Mark Crossley off guard.

The former Forest keeper seemingly happy to see the ball rebound off the post and cleared to safety.

The home side began to take control and a half-hearted appeal for a penalty from Neil Shipperley, after a challenge by Gavin, was followed with Shipperley missing the best chance of the game.

Boro failed to clear a corner on 34 minutes and when the ball was swung back in from the right by Michael Hughes, an unmarked Shipperley screwed an effort from eight yards over the bar.

Just before the interval former Palace striker Shipperley was again in action meeting Neil Ardley's cross only to see his header from 12 yards fly over the bar.

The half-time whistle would have brought a great deal more relief in the away dressing room with Boro struggling to come to terms with the strong-running Dons.

McClaren decided enough was enough and the start of the second-half saw Boro switch to a back four with Phil Stamp replacing Gavin.

The move appeared to give Jonathan Greening more freedom wide on the left and a surging run and cross on 51 minutes should have produced more from Whelan.

If anything the game appeared to be degenerating as the hour mark approached, with even the 1,400 Boro die-hards failing to rally their side into showing any sort of Premiership quality.

McClaren brought Dean Windass on for Whelan in the hope the former Bradford man could generate some urgency.

The answer was a decisive no, and Paul Ince decided on the destructive approach hacking down the dangerous Cooper to earn the game's first yellow card on 66 mins.

The well-struck resultant free-kick from 30 yards by Hughes was straight into the arms of Crossley.

Ince was beginning to get involved after a string of strong challenges in the middle of the park, and referee Steve Bennett was forced to intervene in altercations more than once.

A route one approach almost brought Boro an opener with Crossley's long free-kick on 74 minutes finding the head of Ricard in the box, but the Colombian's effort was palmed away by Ian Feuer.

With interest waning from the near 7,000 crowd, the game's best moments came with six minutes left on the clock.

Ricard's cross caused a mix-up between Trond Andersen and Feuer and the corner conceded ended at the feet of Festa, whose effort came back off the bar, before Ricard headed over. Wimbledon immediately broke up the other end only for a Hughes header from Ardley's cross to go just wide, and indeed that was that.

All in all one game definitely to forget, but Boro boss Steve McClaren refused to be down-hearted and believed the incentive of a game against the Premiership champions inspired Wimbledon.

"I think it increased their performance 10 to 15 per cent," said McClaren, who hoped flu victim Boksic would be back for Saturday's trip to Fulham.

"We certainly saw that in the first half, but in the second I thought we came back well and dominated. In the first half we didn't show enough quality but when we changed things round at half-time we got better. I thought when this tie came out of the hat, with the history last season we'd be in for a batlle. Winbledon were excellent in the first-half and we were fortunate to come in at 0-0. We expected a battle and we got one."

Read more about the Boro here.