PERHAPS the only consolation in Gaizka Mendieta's season-ending injury has been the impressive unearthing of Bolo Zenden as Middlesbrough's central midfield alternative.

Having relinquished his role on Boro's left flank to teenage sensation Stewart Downing, the Dutchman has made the transition across Steve McClaren's midfield with great promise.

And while the loss of Mendieta for eight months - with knee ligament damage - has came as a huge personal blow to the player and the Teessiders, the stunning re-emergence of Zenden in the middle of the park could well go some way to cushioning the setback.

The former Chelsea and Barcelona man is one of only two outfield players to have played in every Premiership game this season. In that time Zenden has played in three positions - left-back, left-midfield and central midfield.

And it is from his latest place in the side that Zenden has been so devastatingly effective in his last two games for Boro.

The 28-year-old took last week's win at Charlton in to his own hands with a sublime second half winner at the Valley. And having laid down the European law to Lazio with a two-goal blast on Thursday night, the man from Maastricht showed no signs of wavering against Bolton yesterday.

Despite forging a good understanding alongside compatriot George Boateng in the previous two games, Zenden started yesterday's game on his more familiar left, with man-of-the-moment Stewart Downing switching to the right.

And while Downing looked just as comfortable down the right - at Ricardo's Gardner's expense - Nicky Hunt was less forgiving on the opposite flank when he was booked for a foul on Zenden in the 23rd minute.

Against a Bolton side, whose style of play was heavily berated by Newcastle boss Graeme Souness seven days earlier, Boro struggled to get to grips with the visitors' direct approach.

In contrast to the fluency Boro attacked with three days earlier, McClaren's men offered little in the final third.

Indeed, the boss wasted little time in addressing the problem, predictably moving Zenden inside and bringing Downing out on the left.

A tactical move to Zenden's, and more importantly Boro's benefit, as the home side began to take a hold of the game with half-an-hour played.

After scuffing wide of Jussi Jaaskelainen's goal, Zenden exercised his freedom in the middle of the park, advancing with the ball before seeing his long-range effort deflected into the arms of the Finnish keeper.

Re-acquainted with Boateng, Zenden provided the attacking emphasis down Boro's central channel in the second half.

But as Newcastle found to their demise at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton are far from pretty, but certainly effective, as their fourth-place in the Premiership serves proof. Indeed, substitute Henrik Pedersen's 72nd minute goal was as shabby as Bolton and Sam Allardyce's moleskin coat.

The visitors' popularity was reduced even further when Jaaskelainen was sent off for a cynical hack on goal-bound Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

But perhaps justice was served deep into injury time when Zenden's midfield partner Boateng drew Boro level.

And Zenden could easily have stolen Boateng's thunder when he fired wide with virtually the last kick of the game.

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