WITH Carl Ikeme's loan spell at Middlesbrough effectively over, Tony Mowbray has hailed the goalkeeper's considerable contribution to the club's impressive start to the season.

While Ikeme's loan agreement does not officially end until November 1, the shot-stopper has already returned to Wolves to complete his recovery from a hand injury.

The problem is not expected to heal before the end of the month, so after ten matches, the 25-year-old's Boro career is effectively at an end.

Six of those ten outings ended in a clean sheet, a magnificent record that has helped the Teessiders claim the best defensive record in the Championship.

Jason Steele underlined his credentials with an impressive display in last weekend's 2-0 win over Derby, but even though he is delighted with the return of his club's number one, Mowbray admits there is a tinge of regret about having to wave goodbye to Ikeme.

"He finished with five clean sheets on the bounce and that's quite an achievement," said the Middlesbrough manager, who takes his side to Southampton this afternoon looking to return to the top of the Championship table.

"We had six clean sheets on the bounce, which was a club record, and for Carl to play in five of those was great for him. We wish him well and thank him for his contribution.

"He came having not played a lot of football, but I thought he grew into the games. He got better and better as his loan spell went on, and his performances in the side were excellent.

"He's damaged his finger so I've allowed him back to Wolves to do his recovery work there. Unfortunately, he's not going to be fit before the start of November so, to all intent and purposes, his loan is up."

Boro have conceded just three goals in their last eight outings, and Mowbray insists there to more to his side's defending that simply an in-form goalkeeper and a solid back four.

"I'm sure Carl would be the first to say that a lot is down to the defence in front of him, and by defence, I mean the performance of the whole team, not just the back four," he said. "While someone like Scott (McDonald) hasn't scored a barrel-load of goals, he works very hard for the team and our defending starts from there.

"We work hard to close down behind the ball and I think that's had an impact. Clean sheets are about a team ethic rather than just the goalkeeper making saves, although a keeper can of course make a huge difference as Jason showed in the final quarter-of-an-hour at the weekend."

Mowbray is expected to revert to a five-man defence this afternoon, with skipper Matthew Bates available after recovering from a foot injury. Kevin Thomson misses out again, though, as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem.