DEFENDER Chris Riggott last night admitted that Middlesbrough were "terrible'' in Saturday's chaotic 3-3 draw with relegation-threatened Leicester.

Riggott, who joined Boro from Derby almost a year ago, was recalled at centre-back after skipper Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu were ruled out through injury.

But Riggott, still only 23, found himself the senior partner at the heart of Boro's rearguard when acting captain Colin Cooper went off in the first half with a hamstring injury.

Stockton-born Andrew Davies, 19, took Cooper's place and was found wanting when his lobbed backpass forced an error from goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to present Leicester with a 3-1 lead and seemingly three points.

Boro somehow salvaged a draw with two stoppage-time goals, but Riggott admitted that, in the absence of Southgate and Ehiogu, the stand-ins had hardly done themselves any favours.

Riggott said: "The way we were playing at 3-1, I couldn't see where two goals were coming from.

"We just kept going and luckily for us they came.

"But we are under no illusions about our performance. We played terribly and were lucky to get a point. It's the most unlikely comeback I've been involved, not that I've been involved in many.

"In the second half we were so disjointed. Their first two goals came from set-pieces and normally we would expect to defend them.

"Mark Schwarzer said he lost the third goal in the lights. I guess you would say it's a point gained.

"People will look at the fact that Gareth and Ugo were out and we conceded three goals, and they would have a point.

"I want to stake my claim, but when you concede three goals, you take it personally.

"Now we have to go back to Arsenal in the Carling Cup on Tuesday and in the FA Cup on Saturday.

"It's a chance to bounce back and put things right. We lost there 4-1 the other week and we know it will be tough, but we have to improve on our last two performances.''

Boro boss Steve McClaren has already ruled out Southgate, like Cooper a hamstring victim, and admitted Ehiogu only has an outside chance of recovering from the groin injury he sustained at Highbury nine days ago.

Danny Mills or fellow full-back Franck Queudrue could be asked to play alongside Riggott at the centre of defence.

"I thought Chris had a good game, but Davies' mistake is going to be highlighted,'' said McClaren.

"Maybe he should have dealt with it better.''

McClaren, meanwhile, admitted he had called off his pursuit of Liverpool striker Emile Heskey.

"We said we made an enquiry and, as you read, Liverpool don't want to let Heskey go, so that's the end of it,'' said McClaren.

"It's difficult to find the quality of striker we want, but we will keep searching.''

Boro have again been linked with a loan bid for Leeds striker Mark Viduka.

But, while Boro would love to land the Aussie, a highly-placed Riverside source said: "We have a couple of things in the transfer market we're exploring, neither of which involve a loan.''

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