Boro set to give Main a chance (From The Northern Echo)

Boro set to give Main a chance

12:04pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Middlesbrough By Scott Wilson

TONY Mowbray is hoping Curtis Main emulates Sunderland midfielder James McClean by making an instant impact on Middlesbrough's first-team squad.

Main, a South Shields-born 19-year-old, made his senior debut as a second-half substitute in Saturday's goalless draw with Crystal Palace, having joined Boro as a free agent last summer.

The striker, who was briefly on Sunderland's books as a child before moving to Darlington, where he scored five goals in 22 starts, is poised to make his first start for the Teessiders when the Black Cats visit the Riverside for an FA Cup fourth-round replay tomorrow.

With Marvin Emnes a major doubt as he nurses a long-standing hamstring injury that must be carefully managed to avoid further damage, Tony Mowbray could opt to field Lukas Jutkiewicz as a lone striker.

However, if the Boro boss decides to stick with two players up front, Main would be the logical choice as Jutkiewicz's partner.

Throwing the teenager into the cut and thrust of a Tees-Wear derby would be a significant gamble, but Mowbray does not have to look far for evidence of a talented youngster who has taken the step up from the reserves in his stride.

When Martin O'Neill moved to Sunderland in December, McClean was a complete unknown. Now, less than two months later, the Irishman is the talk of the Premier League, with 11 appearances and three well-taken goals under his belt.

"Curtis is unproven," said Mowbray. "But you could have said the same thing about James McClean at Sunderland, who had been in the reserves until Martin came in. Let's hope Curtis Main is on everybody's lips in six month's time, like McClean, because he's banged in loads of goals and everybody says, 'Wow, why hasn't he had a chance this season?'

"He is only a young boy and you have to put it in context. He came from a Conference side on a free transfer and here he is playing in the Championship and it's a big leap. But we've tried to work hard with him to improve his game and his physical attributes can make him a talented player.

"Maybe his time has come. We had to take a gamble on continuing with Marvin in the second half (on Saturday), which didn't come off because we had to substitute him.

"Martin O'Neill has the resources available to give Fraizer Campbell a rest against Stoke. That's the difference between the Premier League, as opposed to where we are at the moment."

Boro will definitely be without influential duo Scott McDonald and Nicky Bailey tomorrow, while Faris Haroun is also unlikely to play after he hobbled off in the early stages of Saturday's draw.

Julio Arca will return to face his former employers following the end of his three-match suspension, and there are hopes Barry Robson could return to play a part following his goalscoring heroics in the original game at the Stadium of Light.

Either way, Middlesbrough will field a patched-up starting XI, but despite his side having won just one of their seven matches in 2012 - and even that was an FA Cup tie against League Two Shrewsbury Town - Mowbray remains confident they are capable of springing a surprise against an in-form Sunderland.

"I see the players from the touchline, and I can see the effort and leg work that they're putting in and their commitment to the cause," he said. "There were some jaded bodies out there (against Crystal Palace) and we'll have to try and get our adrenalin levels back up. But if we can't get up for the Sunderland game then there's something wrong."

At least Boro will be able to rely on the goalkeeping skills of Jason Steele, with the shot-stopper continuing to play through the pain barrier despite a damaged wrist.

Steele missed the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light, but returned to the side at Leicester six days ago after Danny Coyne suffered an injury problem of his own.

The England Under-21 international is playing with a pin in his wrist from where it was originally broken last summer, but is confident he cannot do any more damage despite an occasional pang of pain.

"Adrenaline gets me through when I know there's this problem," said Steele. "There were times at Leicester last week when I was grimacing because it was sore when I made saves.

"It is sore at the minute but I will get by. I have a pin in there from when I broke it in the summer, so it is not going to get any worse than what it is. It's sore, but it feels nice and strong."