Skipper Paul Ince was saved from a rollicking by Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson yesterday because of the fuel crisis.

Ince failed to make it for training on Teesside from his Merseyside home when he ran out of petrol.

Garages in the North west are under siege and the Boro midfielder might have felt the same way if he had encountered Robson, who was still fuming over the home defeat by Everton on Saturday.

The 2-1 reverse prompted a dressing-room bust-up with the Boro boss, who accused Ince and co-midfielder Christian Karembeu of not showing enough drive.

And Robson's mood had not mellowed yesterday. "What we saw on Saturday is just not good enough," he stormed. "There were some angry exchanges after the game, not just with Paul but with the whole team.

"There had to be, you cannot let a performance like that pass without question."

Ince, left out of the England side in France ten days ago, was substituted 14 minutes from time at the Riverside. And Robson picked out Ince and £2.1m former Real Madrid midfielder Christian Karembeu.

"Christian had his worst game since he joined us. And Paul is not at his best," he rapped. "He knows he can step up his work rate. There are important England games coming up and, if he wants to be part them, he will have to play better.

"He's had an ankle injury but he's over that now I need the real Paul Ince to get us back on target.

"We know what a great player he is when he's flying. To blame his age is nonsense, he is 32 and in his prime. What I need - and know I can - get is the Paul Ince we had last season.

"It wasn't just Paul. The players did things they were not supposed to do. More to the point, they did things they were told not to do and that cannot be allowed to continue.

"They all know we have lost out in the last two games because the work rate of the opposition has been higher."

Robson, though, exempted Phil Stamp from the criticism. "He was very committed and our best player," he added.

Boro, who have only taken one point out of nine at home this season, hope to have defenders Gary Pallister and Colin Cooper back at Manchester City on Sunday.

Boro are holding a family fun night at the Riverside for tomorrow's reserve game with Man City.

Entry is £1 and free to season ticket holders and members of the Roary Club. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult