TONY Mowbray claims Scott McDonald is capable of scoring the kind of goals that nobody else in the Middlesbrough squad would be able to convert.

Since returning to the first-team squad at the start of October, McDonald has claimed four goals in five appearances.

All of the strikes have been from close range, with the Australian's latest success at Sunderland on Tuesday once again highlighting his predatory instincts.

He is a striker who comes alive in the six-yard box, and while Lukas Jutkiewicz and Marvin Emnes might have contributed eight goals between this term, neither can boast McDonald's conversion rate inside the penalty area.

“We have lots of competition, but Scott is probably a different type of goalscorer,” said Mowbray, ahead of this afternoon's visit to Charlton Athletic. “The goals he's scored over the last week, I'm not sure that anyone else in our squad would score those type of goals.

“All three of his goals have been in and around the six-yard box because he knows where to run. He knows where the ball is going to drop and he's sharp around the box. I think every team needs those type of goals.

“The team has shared the goals around really well, but I think Scott brings an ingredient to our team that you need. You have to be able to score the scruffy goals, and the goals where somebody is anticipating the defender missing it, and I think Scott brings that to the party.”

McDonald is expected to retain his place in the starting line-up at the Valley, although it remains to be seen whether he is partnered by Ishamel Miller, who faces a late fitness test on a hamstring injury, or Lukas Jutkiewicz, who only returned to training after a month-long absence this week.

Boro will attempt to record their sixth away win in succession this afternoon, having won at Preston and Sunderland in the Capital One Cup and Blackburn, Watford and Brighton in the league.

Charlton are languishing in 20th position and their only victory at the Valley came in their opening home game of the season, but in a league as competitive as the Championship, Mowbray is only too aware that there is no such thing as an easy away game.

“When you've won the games we've won this month, morale is bound to be good,” he said. “It was good going into Sunderland, and it remains high. Charlton are newly promoted this year and started fantastically well. They've found it a bit more difficult since then and will be eager to get back to winning ways at home.

“I don't know what their aspirations are but they have some good players. It's always a fine balance because if you start getting over-confident, anyone in this league can beat you if you're not 100 per cent. We have to make sure we go there with a game plan and work as hard as we did in the week.”