STEVE McCLAREN has told Middlesbrough's confidence drained squad to pick themselves up and start focusing on turning round the side's ailing fortunes.

Boro's defeat at Portsmouth last night has left McClaren's men still searching for their first win of 2005 - after losing three and drawing two of their past five league matches.

Bolton, Tottenham and Charlton are all hot on the heels of Boro who occupy sixth place - a position that looks like being the final UEFA Cup spot this season.

But the club's poor form has coincided with a dreadful injury list that includes Chris Riggott, Mark Viduka and George Boateng.

And McClaren, whose side face Blackburn on Saturday, said after last night's defeat at Fratton Park: "I can't fault my players. We were not helped by the loss of Colin Cooper through injury after 20 minutes but we regrouped and took the lead.

"We're not getting the rub of green. We needed to keep the lead intact but we didn't defend very well. We made individual errors either side of half-time.

"We needed a performance with attitude and we had to give it a go after Portsmouth had taken the lead.

"But I have said to them that we can't mope. We have to come through this spell. We have to show character because there is still a lot to play for. We will come through this spell if we keeping working as hard as we did here."

Boro's reversal overshadowed Malcolm Christie's return to Premiership action, which he capped with his first goal in 16 months.

And McClaren said: "Christie's return was a big plus for us. We knew he wouldn't last a full game. But he did well for us and the goal will do his confidence the world of good. He's going to be an asset to us and hopefully he can build on this."