GARETH Southgate's family will be praying Middlesbrough don't come home empty-handed from Birmingham City on Boxing Day.

Despite doing his best to keep his home life separate from being a football club manager, Southgate admitted he would struggle to put Scott Parker's 90th-minute winner at the Riverside immediately to the back of his mind.

If the League Managers' Association were looking to cast Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol then for the role of Bob Cratchit, the amiable well-meaning clerk to Ebeneezer Scrooge's mean-spirited boss, they would look no further than the Middlesbrough manager.

Not, however, this Christmas week.

"My kids should be fearing me this Christmas," joked Southgate, after seeing his side's minirevival ended by West Ham, despite taking the lead.

"They didn't get much out of me on Saturday night, although I don't usually tend to take things home with me.

"My wife would probably disagree with that.

"I hate losing, but I'm somebody who can keep it in perspective.

"When you're in charge, you've got to lead the players through it.

"But it was a big disappointment to get done at the end. We should have seen the game out and got a point - we were a bit naive.

"In certain areas of the field we have some younger players, and we have to learn how to see matches out.

"Sometimes just doing very simple things when the game comes to a close. It's a lesson we have to learn.

"You want to try to win the game but you shouldn't commit everybody in final stages.

"We've taken a kick in the nuts but we have got to get on with it."

The festive season is more about cracking nuts rather than being kicked in them, but despite the lateness of the winner Boro looked ripe for the taking on Saturday.

The lack of a cutting edge in front of goal that has been their Achilles heel this season returned, and they needed the assistance of a central defender to manage their first, and only, effort on target.

Despite starting brightly, Middlesbrough never threatened to score until Stewart Downing's 40th-minute free-kick was headed back into the six-yard box by Jeremie Aliadiere for David Wheater to bundle home.

Whether it was naivety that allowed West Ham to level four minutes later or just a quality strike is debatable, but Dean Ashton crashed home a half-volley from the edge of the area from Henri Camara's knock-down to send the sides in level at the interval.

The only side that looked like grabbing the winner in the second half was West Ham. There appeared to be two players capable of scoring it and they were both former Newcastle United midfielders.

Nolberto Solano had a 30-yard free-kick tipped over by Mark Schwarzer then the Peruvian screwed an effort wide from the edge of the area.

Both sides appeared happy to take the draw until Solano's fellow former Magpie, Scott Parker, picked up possession in the Boro half.

There was an exchange of passes with Lucas Neill and substitute John Pantsill as Parker continued his run into the Boro box.

Parker was just on-side when Neill played him in and he finished the move with the outside of his right foot to send the 1,500 Hammers fans home very happy.

Parker's former Charlton team-mate, Luke Young, feared the worst when he picked the ball up.

"I played a lot with Parker at Charlton and I know when he goes on a run like that he is difficult to stop," said the Middlesbrough full-back.

"I think there was a bit of naivety on our part because we could have brought him down before he got into the box, taken a yellow card and got a point out of the game.

"If anybody was going to score the winner it was going to be him because he is a class act.

"He can do amazing things on the ball. I just wish it hadn't been against us.

"The dressing room is down but we have to roll our sleeves up for Boxing Day. We have to.

"If we go down to Birmingham City and win the world will look a whole lot rosier.

"We have a lot of games coming up in a short period so we have to brush it off quickly."