TONY MOWBRAY has refused to call defeat on dreams of automatic promotion to the Premier League, despite his Middlesbrough side's patchy form since the turn of the year.

Boro ended 2011 as the Championship's top performers in the calendar year, but went through January without a league win. And, despite a mini-revival with victories over Portsmouth and Barnsley, the Teessiders' promotion ambitions took a further hit with defeat to Leeds on Sunday.

But Mowbray believes while there is still a chance - there are 33 points to play for with Boro eight points away from second-placed Reading - they should not give up hope on avoiding the play-offs and gaining instant promotion to the top flight.

"Mathematically you have to, if we win the next two games we'll have taken three points each off teams who are very much in and around the top six, so we have to keep believing on that, we have to keep going," said the Boro manager, whose side visit Birmingham on Saturday and West Ham United on Tuesday.

"The positive nature of our remaining fixtures is that we do play a lot of the teams in and around the top six, and our destiny is in our own hands.

"If we beat the likes of West Ham, Birmingham, Hull, Cardiff and Southampton, then we'll have three points on Tuesdays or the weekend where they'll have none.

"If we remain positive and don't look too negatively on them, we should look on it as a great opportunity to take three points from teams around us."

Boro had been in and around the promotion places until their winless start to the year which began with a demoralising 3-0 defeat to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, while in recent weeks, home losses to Reading - who had won six on the bounce to get into the promotion spots - and Leeds have put a dent in Mowbray's aspirations.

But with the Blues and the Hammers to come, the next two games could turn Boro's fortunes around once again.

Mowbray said: "In football you've got to get over it as quick as you can. We were disappointed, we didn't really turn up on the day and perform, but we give credit to Leeds, they came here, played a very high energy game and got the result.

"We have to rebound from that result, we've got a tough run of fixtures coming up but we've been pretty good on our travels this year and we'll be looking for some more wins in the coming months.

"We have to be ready for Birmingham this weekend, then it's off to London on Tuesday night. They're tough games, both of those sides are at the top end of the table, there's a lot to play for.

"Our record on the road this season is second only to West Ham, which should give us the confidence and belief to make life difficult for them.

"While Birmingham's home record is good - they've only lost once at St Andrew's this season - it should hold no fears for us.

"We've won nine times on the road this season, it's a game we're looking forward to. And then Tuesday night in London at West Ham, they've had a similar run to us where they've had more problems at home than they have away.

"Let's hope we can continue that run for them and make life difficult."

In Birmingham, Boro face a team who have managed to juggle European football while mounting a credible play-off push, and feels Chris Hughton's side can provide a stern test of Boro's own credentials.

"They've managed to get results by hook or by crook, they've found a way of winning football matches because they've accrued enough points to get into the top six, just like ourselves," said Mowbray.

"But that doesn't guarantee on any given Saturday that you're going to play well again.

"We've got to make sure we impose our game on Birmingham this weekend, and their players will be disappointed and frustrated that they didn't play the way they know they can.

"The reason for that is probably that we go there and make life difficult for them, score a goal on the break or from a set-piece, they gamble to get into the game and we score another one, as we have done all season.

"I can't predict the future, of course, but what I do know is that we'll be organised, and will work extremely hard in the games we have."

Middlesbrough go to St Andrews without Barry Robson, who was sent off on Sunday and will now serve a three-match suspension, while Faris Haroun, Jason Steele and Rhys Williams did not train yesterday and are doubts for Saturday.

But Mowbray believes that his side's competitors are in the same boat.

He said: "At this stage of the season, all the teams we play will have one or two players out, it's very rare that teams have a full squad, we have one or two doubts for the weekend but we'll know more how we're looking for the weekend."

Kevin Thomson, who has suffered an awful spell of luck which culminated in a head injury sustained by a robust Adam Clayton challenge on Sunday, has trained this week and will be available for selection in the West Midlands.

Meanwhile, Mowbray confirmed that Polish winger Patryk Malecki has been at the club's Rockliffe training headquarters on trial this week. However, with the 23-year-old on the books at Wisla Krakow, the Teessiders will not be making any decision on the Poland international until the transfer window re-opens in the summer.