THERE are hopes Stewart Downing and Kevin Kyle can save Middlesbrough and Sunderland's respective campaigns and last night the pair successfully emerged through returns from injury heartache unscathed.

And now, having taken the next step towards full recovery in last night's 4-1 win for Middlesbrough reserves over their Sunderland counterparts, the pair have completely different goals for the rest of the season.

For Downing, having spent three months on the sidelines with a serious knee injury, there is every chance he could be involved in Boro's trip to Arsenal on Saturday after playing 65 minutes of last night's fixture.

Having had to sit on the sidelines and witness the Teessiders drop to within two places of the Premiership's relegation zone, the whole club is pinning hopes on Downing's return kick-starting a climb back up the table.

And the 21-year-old, who had not played since the defeat to Charlton on August 28, has personal aspirations of making the World Cup squad this summer.

But, first and foremost, he only has eyes on returning to top form for Boro - starting possibly at Highbury this weekend.

"The first game is the hard one and I'm looking forward to the next one now, whether that is Arsenal or another reserve game first, I don't know," said Downing, joined in the Boro side last night by Ray Parlour after the midfielder's own recovery from a knee problem.

"I feel tired but it's a relief to get through the wall. I was down to get 45 minutes under my belt, so to get an hour is great.

"At this moment I do feel tired but in the next couple of days we will see. If I'm ready to play at Arsenal then I'm ready to play. If the gaffer thinks I am then I will play."

Kyle, on the other hand, had endured an even longer spell on the sidelines with a hip problem that had even threatened to end his career at one stage.

The towering Scotsman, attempting his second comeback having had a setback last April when he scored eight times in two reserve team appearances, had a career-saving operation in September and his outing was welcome relief.

Kyle, with two operations and a series of appointments with a number of top specialists, has not kicked a ball for the Sunderland first team since August 2004 at Reading and can't wait to play his part in his side's survival push.

"If I had my way I would be playing on Sunday against Chelsea," said Kyle, desperate to get back to the sort of form that earned him nine caps for Scotland. "I didn't want to come off but the gaffer (Mick McCarthy) wanted me to take it easy and go off at half-time.

"I knew things weren't right in April when I made my first comeback. I wasn't pain free and I was kidding myself thinking I was.

"But coming off here I feel completely right. I knew it was going to be right because the top surgeon (Dr Marc Phillipon) said it would be.

"I don't feel any effects and, for me, I want to be back as soon as I can. I'm hoping end of the month, beginning of February.

"The manager is keen for me to play a few more reserve games but I want to be back sooner. I'm not stupid because I know I can't be rushed back and I have to leave it to the gaffer. But I feel fine."

Without Kyle, Sunderland's team last night was made up largely of young guns, while Boro had nine players with first team experience in their starting line-up.

One of those, among a host of promising youngsters, was wantaway goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

And it was Kyle who should have tested the Australian, barracked by the small section of supporters, early on.

The Scotsman mis-hit a cross from Daryl Murphy and the ball rolled straight into the arms of Schwarzer when the keeper should have been more seriously worked.

Sunderland's left-midfielder Brian Dennehy also went close when he shot wide from a difficult angle, and it was Boro who opened the scoring.

Adam Johnson's driving run at the Sunderland defence down the right was rewarded when his shot could only be directed high into the air by goalkeeper Ben Alnwick.

Jason Kennedy's rebound fell kindly to Massimo Maccarone at the back post and the club record buy acrobatically volleyed in from close range after 19 minutes.

Chances were at a premium for both sides in the remainder of the first half but it took just four minutes after the restart for Boro to increase their advantage.

Maccarone evaded two challenges down the left before squaring to Kennedy and he had the simple task of tapping in from close range.

Sunderland - with just Martin Woods, Alnwick and Murphy boasting Premiership experience this season - enjoyed a much more positive second half and tested Schwarzer more regularly.

And they took only four minutes to claw themselves back into things. Murphy's poor control tricked David Wheater and the Irish forward struck a right-foot shot into Boro's net.

After the introduction of French teenager Elie Ikangu, recently of Le Havre, in the middle alongside Parlour, Boro extended their lead through striker Tom Craddock.

They made sure of victory late on when the lively Johnson, Downing's younger deputy on the left, scored a fantastic solo goal to wrap things up.

Boro: Schwarzer, Liddle, Wheater, Cooper, Taylor, Johnson, Kennedy (Ikangu 51), Parlour (Grounds 65), Downing (Owens 65), Maccarone, Craddock. Subs (not used): Fisher, Burgess.

Sunderland: Alnwick, Taylor, Connolly (Ball 69), Christensen, Donoghue, Woods, Davison, Leadbitter (Allan 66), Dennehy, Murphy, Kyle (Graham 46). Subs (not used): Carson, Weir.

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