Middlesbrough can look forward to facing Fulham on Wednesday after finally ending their Riverside scoring drought - but it was a Notts County player who did it for them.

Boro went on to complete a professional job to reach round four but Ian Richardson's unfortunate own goal - the first Middlesbrough goal at the Riverside for two months - gave Boro the kick-start they needed.

Nevertheless, they were in complete control throughout as McClaren's side, as always these days, remained well organised to make lightwork of the visitors whose chances of causing an upset were all but wiped out when Billingham-born Tony Barras, a Middlesbrough fan, deservedly saw red with still an hour to play.

The Teessiders' only disappointment was not being able to put more goals past a team sitting second bottom of Division Two.

McClaren admitted Middlesbrough could've scored more but was pleased with a performance which saw Boro score twice at home in a match for only the third time this season.

He said: "We have won, we are in the hat for the fourth round and we kept a clean sheet, we could have had a hatful more but for the woodwork and their goalkeeper.

"It is a relief to get the goals. I was pleased with that. We scored two but we created quite a few other chances.

"But we are pleased and we got plenty of pluses to come out of it.

"We created the excitement that has been lacking here in recent results."

Besides the scoreline, perhaps the most pleasing aspect for the Teessiders was the return to action of Joseph-Desire Job.

After being out for more than three months with a knee ligament injury, Job played for an hour and created the first goal as his shot was deflected in although McClaren was keen to see the Cameroon international credited with the strike.

Job was making his first start since the win at Southampton in September and McClaren said: "He'd been out a while. We wanted to get Joseph back involved as soon as possible and he felt he was ready. He has been out for a while - go on give him the goal."

Other changes to the side which lost to Man. United a week ago saw Silzard Nemeth come in for Jonathan Greening, Stewart Downing took the place of the holidaying Gazkia Mendieta while rookie Australian keeper Brad Jones and Darlington-born youth team midfielder, James Morrison, both made their first-team debuts.

The boss praised the youngsters, revealing Jones had turned down the opportunity of representing his country in order to fight for his place in the side.

Jones, 22 next month, decided against a trip home to play for Australia and was rewarded by replacing fellow Aussie Mark Schwarzer on Saturday, while Morrison saw 27 minutes of action on the right-wing after coming on as a sub.

McClaren said: "Brad Jones could've been in Australia this month playing in their Olympic qualifying competition but he decided to stay with us and take the opportunity.

"What a great experience for James too. He's got a great talent and can be a very good player."

That Middlesbrough's first goal at the Riverside in 512 minutes - stretching back to the win over Wolves two months ago and including five full matches - came from the boot of an opposition defender was typical of blunt Boro.

That it came 15 minutes before the hosts managed a shot on target of their own was also typical of Boro's recent profligacy in front of goal.

Inside the penalty area on 24 minutes, Job was afforded time and space to bring a George Boateng pass under control before firing the ball across the face of goal. With keeper Steve Mildenhall about to gather unlucky Richardson deflected over the line.

And less than ten minutes later County were on the canvas as Barras was adjudged to have denied Michael Ricketts a clear goalscoring opportunity after knocking the striker to the floor when clean through on goal. The centre-back had little argument when referee Mark Halsey brandished the red card.

Before the half was out, and spurred on by having the extra man, Boro increased the pressure with Frank Queudrue hitting the crossbar with a fierce free-kick and then Ricketts - in possibly his best game since joining a year ago - was unlucky not to see his 12-yard volley cross the line; Mildenhall making a great save low to his left.

Mildenhall was again called into action in injury time, tipping over a bullet Queudrue header.

But he could do little to prevent the second goal as Bolo Zenden delivered the knockout blow midway through the second half, latching on to a Nemeth backwards header to hit first time from the edge of the penalty area.

With 26 minutes to play it should've opened the floodgates, but for all their pressure Boro failed to add to the score although they did have chances: the impressive Downing saw a shot hit the post, Maccarone was denied by a great sliding tackle in the box when about to pull the trigger and Morrison was caught flat-footed when the ball dropped to him six yards out and the 17-year-old was only able to knee the ball towards Mildenhall.

In November County put seven past Northern League Shildon in round one of the Cup and, after Barras was sent-off, some optimistic Boro fans would have hoped for a similar score.

The fact that Boro didn't will have done little to dampen Middlesbrough's spirits ahead of today's lunchtime fourth round draw - and a home tie would do nicely as Boro are now unbeaten at the Riverside in the FA Cup for six years.

Result: Middlesbrough 2 Notts County 0.

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