ADAM CLAYTON thinks Middlesbrough’s bonding trip to the Costa Blanca has improved the team spirit ahead of a 13 match run-in that will determine the club’s Premier League future.

Boro only arrived back on Teesside on Friday afternoon and then turned in a solid display against in-form Everton at a freezing cold Riverside Stadium.

The goalless draw has lifted Middlesbrough an extra point clear of the relegation zone after other results went their way, even if they are still without a league win since before Christmas.

Middlesbrough have encountered problems during that time. Aitor Karanka, the head coach, was critical of supporters last month and of the boardroom’s failure to bring in his top transfer targets, then he told Gaston Ramirez he would not be granted the move to Leicester City the player wanted.

There has also been growing criticism of his methods from supporters, his defensive approach meaning Middlesbrough are the only team in the top-flight yet to hit 20 goals.

But Boro, who drew for the tenth time this season by keeping Romelu Lukaku and Everton at bay, showed the togetherness required to stay in the top tier, even if the upcoming games against teams in and around them will be more important in the battle to stay up.

Clayton said: “The performance showed what the week in Spain has done, the spirit was back – even if it hadn’t gone anywhere in the first place really – but it was upped.

“The crowd were with us, the whole club was slightly more together and we gave Everton a really good game.

“In general we have a really good team spirit but being around each other 24/7 I think helps to bring the ones on the outskirts, in terms of the banter like Adama Traore, right into group.

“You get to know them a bit better. We do that every year and it has helped us over the line so hopefully we can do it again.”

Middlesbrough’s performance could have been affected by the sub-zero temperatures at the Riverside, but they were organised and disciplined again to deliver a point in the wintry showers just 24 hours after returning from the 17-degrees on the outskirts of Benidorm.

Clayton added: “We are used to the weather up here now, I have played in bad weather conditions, so it didn’t matter after Spain. I think we put them on the back foot at times and gave them a really good game.”

Middlesbrough could even have ended the eight-match wait for a win had Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles not made the save of the game to tip over Rudy Gestede’s power header in the closing stages.

That was the closest Karanka’s side came to scoring on an afternoon when Victor Valdes also made a few good stops at the other end.

The failure to create chances has been a stick to beat Middlesbrough with this season, but the players are confident they can deliver.

Clayton said: “I think we had one cleared off the line, Stuani had one into the keeper’s hands and then there was Rudy’s chance. Everton are a top five/six side for me. We have created chances and that is key.

“I think we were unfortunate not to score. Everton have to be just slightly off it and you right on it to beat a team like them. They have had a couple of chances too. We had the better chances in the game so maybe we were unlucky not to win.”

Everton were by no means at their best, just a week after hitting six past Bournemouth at Goodison Park, when Romelu Lukaku took his tally for the season to 16 with four goals.

Lukaku had a fantastic chance in the first half, when Valdes denied him the opener, but other than that he was relatively quiet and Middlesbrough made life difficult for him, with Ben Gibson the pick of the back four.

Clayton said: “Lukaku scored four last week but Gibbo was top-class again against him. Everyone knows what we can do as a defensive unit but we did pose a threat as well. The fact Ronald Koeman put Gareth Barry on at the end to try to shore things up showed that. We were in the ascendancy. It would have been nice to get the victory to take the edge off it.

“It was never really 3-0 or 4-0 in the Championship, so it was never going to be like that in the Premier League. If we can keep going as we are then maybe we will be on the right end of those scorelines.”