JOSEPH JOB was the Middlesbrough hero yesterday with a 90-second double to send a record 34,836 Riverside crowd home delighted with a win - and delirious with their side's efforts over 2004.

A 128-year wait for silverware was ended with the Carling Cup success in February, and the Teessiders finish the year in fifth spot in the Premiership.

Not a bad way to start the New Year as the top team in the North-East, and Friday night's celebrations will be far happier across Teesside than 40 miles up the A19 on Tyneside.

But it wasn't all plain sailing yesterday, and Steve McClaren's warning that the glut of games over the festive period leads to a reduction in the quality of football on offer was borne out with an opening 45 minutes to forget.

It was a different story after the break with Job benefiting from some dismal Norwich defending, twice finding himself unmarked with the goal at his mercy.

Two clinical finishes in the 53rd and 54th minutes were enough to win the game, and he could have had a hat-trick in the 87th minute only to fire over when played in by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The prospect of four games in ten days leaves many football fans salivating, but the same cannot be said for players or managers.

McClaren is no fan of festive football, and his players started the game like they finished the Birmingham encounter - badly.

The Boxing Day debacle at St Andrews produced further injury problems to add to the Teessiders' growing sick-list. Mark Viduka's hamstring saw Job come into the starting XI and Doriva was replaced by Szilard Nemeth.

Norwich, however, have injury problems of their own and lost another man before the quarter hour was up.

They were relieved to see Marc Edworthy continue after injuring himself with an early challenge on Stewart Downing, but the relief was short-lived.

Gary Doherty's attempted headed clearance in the ninth minute saw the Ireland international deliver a knockout blow to team-mate Thomas Helveg.

The groggy Dane managed to drag himself off the pitch, but the former Inter Milan player didn't know what day it was never mind where he was, and he was soon replaced.

Substitute Jim Brennan's first taste of action was almost to witness a Boro goal - Ray Parlour easily gliding past him only to see his effort from just outside the box fly wide.

The Teessiders found their best route to goal was to bypass the Canaries tight five-man midfield and next to have a crack at goal was Job.

The Cameroon international was set up by Bolo Zenden on the left angle of the box, only to have his snap shot pushed round the post by the alert Robert Green.

Shots from distance appeared the order of the afternoon and, after David Bentley tried his luck from 25 yards only to see his effort fly over Mark Schwarzer's bar, it was Boro's turn again.

Downing ran at the visitors' defence just before the half hour and fired low from distance but straight at Green.

However, the England goalkeeper of the future fluffed his clearance and Zenden picked up the pieces on the edge of the box. The Dutchman picked his spot only to see his curling effort deflected wide for a corner.

There were undoubtedly harsh words from McClaren at half-time and the cut of his gib, judging by the way Boro started after the break, was to get at the Norwich back four.

After Downing had given early warning of his intentions - twice turning Edworthy inside out - it was Job who was the beneficiary of some woeful defending with two quick goals.

Firstly Downing's flighted free-kick from the right found him unmarked at the back post allowing him to side-foot home, then a through ball from Franck Queudrue gave him the space to run into and claim his second.

The Norwich defence went AWOL and Job strolled into the box, waited for Green to come to him, and slotted the ball through his legs.

It was literally Job done and game over, and it could have been three minutes later but Green spread himself well to save from Downing.

Nigel Worthington's side appeared consigned to their fate as all semblance of attacking intent disappeared for the following quarter hour as they attempted to ensure the scoreline remained semi-respectable.

The Canaries stirred from their slumber shortly after Zenden's deflected effort in the 72nd minute had flown just past the post.

Substitute Danny Crow was on the end of a Bentley cross only to direct his header wide, before Schwarzer kept his clean sheet intact saving bravely at the feet of Leon McKenzie.

With three minutes left Job blew his chance of glory when he fired over from eight yards following Hasselbaink's astute pass, but by then the three points were well and truly safely secured.

Result: Middlesbrough 2 Norwich City 0.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.