WHILE progress in Europe continues to be made, there is one growing frustration domestically that is restricting Middlesbrough from enjoying another record-breaking campaign - failure to cement themselves in the top half of the table.

Even though this draw moved them up to tenth, Boro are still failing to show the sort of consistency that will propel them into the top six.

Failure to beat West Brom, managed by former Riverside boss Bryan Robson, means Steve McClaren is still searching for his first back to back league wins in over a year.

And, after Wednesday's Carling Cup date with Crystal Palace, successive trips to champions Chelsea and Liverpool suggests there will be few optimistic about Boro's chances of ending that run soon.

It all looked rosy when striker Mark Viduka put Boro in front early on with his sixth of the season, but West Brom bounced back and had the nerve to go in front courtesy of strikes from Nathan Ellington and Nwankwo Kanu.

But Aiyegbeni Yakubu, like so often since his £7.5m move, showed his class with a calmly taken spot-kick 24 minutes from time to earn Boro a point in atrocious conditions.

Robson, whose side lost 4-0 on his first return to Teesside last season, took Boro to three successive cup finals and celebrated two promotions after cutting his teeth into management at the Riverside.

But, despite helping chairman Steve Gibson put the club on the world map with a plethora of international names, it was his successor that secured the first major trophy in the club's history.

Robson would have loved nothing more than to have taken Boro, a club whose fans are still grateful for the work he did in his first few years at the helm, on to the European stage - something his successor, McClaren, has been able to do.

The satisfaction among the squad that was taken from Thursday's workmanlike performance in Holland - where a point against AZ Alkmaar secured qualification from the group stage - pleased the manager, who made six changes.

Among those to return to the starting line-up were captain Gareth Southgate, goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and top-scorer Yakubu.

But there was no place in the 16 for Ugo Ehiogu, against his former boss, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started on the bench - much to the delight of Viduka.

The Australian, making his first league start since September 25, has often cut a dejected figure on the sidelines but showed exactly what he is capable of by putting Boro in front just 12 minutes in.

Neither side had actually stamped their authority on proceedings, with a laziness apparent in parts of both sides' play.

Stuart Parnaby and James Morrison's quick forays at the West Brom defence caused problems, and a similar charge resulted in Boro taking the lead.

Midfielder George Boateng tried to play a one-two with Viduka, however, the return pass was blocked by Neil Clement.

It was a ricochet that fell fortunately for Boro and Viduka's strike from just outside the area deflected off the leg of Paul Robinson and out of the reach of goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszcak.

The lead did not last long and, after such an outstanding defensive display in Alkmaar, it was a calamitous mistake that cost the Boro rearguard dear.

After Kanu had passed the ball straight at Franck Queudrue, the Frenchman dallied for too long before Kanu intercepted.

The Nigerian immediately fed Ellington, who fired low into Schwarzer's bottom right hand corner with a powerful first time strike.

That, instead of lifting the visitors, suddenly sparked Boro into some more adventurous play on a surface that caused mistakes all over the place.

Fabio Rochemback, who has made a name for himself as a wayward shooter since arriving, hit the target for once with a stinging 30-yard drive, but Kuszcak was equal to it.

And one of the Brazilian's free-kicks should have led to a second Boro goal when Emanuel Pogatetz's downward header was turned behind for a corner, after the Austrian was left in space in the box.

Rochemback, in particular, proved to be a constant menace to the West Brom defence.

The jury remains out on the former Sporting Lisbon player but his array of passes lit up a game that troubled to come to terms with the heavy rain.

Boro's failure to control the game, coupled with Queudrue's earlier error, persuaded McClaren to drag the defender off at the break play with a flat back four - meaning Szilard Nemeth operating just behind the front two.

A similar switch was made seven days earlier and, like the 3-2 win over Fulham, the change suited Boro again - yet it was West Brom who gained the upperhand.

West Brom counter-attacked after a Boro corner through Diomansy Kamara, who brushed aside Boateng before picking out Robinson on the right.

Robinson cut inside, passed to Kanu and he side-stepped Southgate on the edge of the 18-yard box before striking a terrific right-foot shot low into Schwarzer's bottom right.

But, undeterred, Boro responded well and earned a penalty just eight minutes later when Robinson turned villain by clumsily crashing into Nemeth.

Yakubu, coolness personified, sent Kuszcak the wrong way and claimed his ninth goal since moving from Portsmouth in the summer.

But even then Boro failed to turn up the heat and secure all three points. In fact, had ex-Boro man Jonathan Greening's shooting boots been on they could count themselves lucky to have one.

Result: Middlesbrough 2, West Bromwich Albion 2.

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