MIDDLESBROUGH captain Matthew Bates has challenged his team's midfielders to improve their service to the strikers as the play-off chasers look to avoid defeat on Saturday.

Boro travel to crisis club Portsmouth at the weekend, on the back of a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Reading which saw them slide out of the play-off zone.

The Teessiders remain very much in contention, but Bates believes that they could have been even more successful if the Boro frontmen had seen more of the ball this term.

"It's been the story of our season, it's as if we need to keep a clean sheet to win games," Bates explained.

"It's disappointing when you look at the players we have in Julio Arca, Rhys Williams, probably two of the best ball-playing midfielders in the league. Marvin Emnes' goal tally has been good this season, Lukas Jutkiewicz has come in and done brilliantly.

"It's just a shame we can't create more opportunities.

"As soon a it gets to the final third, it breaks down. We've got to give credit to Reading. We knew they'd come here with two banks of four and defend well, which they've done all season.

"They hadn't conceded a goal for five games. We knew it was going to be difficult against a team with the best defensive record in the league."

With the Championship resting for the internationals this week, Boro will have had the benefit of a week's rest before travelling to Portsmouth, who are in administration owing to an unpaid tax bill.

But with the games coming thick and fast after that, Bates knows that a victory on Saturday can be an ideal springboard for a renewed crack at promotion.

He added: "We need not to get too down about this, we've got a nice break until next weekend now and we know what this league brings, lots of games in short spells. Let's hope we can push on and win on Saturday."