Wheater continues his Boro development

JUST when Middlesbrough looked to have cracked the Lancashire hoodoo which has been hanging over them this season, they were hit by an English county of a different kind - Derbyshire.

For the second time since August, Matt Derbyshire's intervention prevented Boro from claiming three points against a Blackburn side who have every chance of finishing in the top six.

On the opening day of the season it was the talented England Under-21 international's introduction that sparked Rovers into life at the Riverside Stadium; scoring the first of two as Mark Hughes' men came from behind to win.

And it was substitute Derbyshire again, whose simple second half goal cancelled out David Wheater's first half opener to prevent Boro from claiming a vital win.

Those two strikes are his only Premier League goals this season and, on this occasion, it was a goal which hammered home to their visitors why they are in need of a prolific striker.

It was also one which cost Middlesbrough a first win in Lancashire this season, having lost out to Wigan, Everton, Manchester City and Manchester United before stopping the rot with a goalless draw at Bolton on November 11.

Nevertheless it is mark of the progress that has been made in recent months that Boro are no longer a team that heads away from Teesside and rolls over easily.

It is now one defeat from their last seven matches away from home and this outing brought an end to six successive defeats suffered by Southgate against Hughes.

IT is now just one defeat in seven matches for Middlesbrough on their travels, although they must wonder how they failed to win this competitive encounter.

After a first half in which Blackburn Rovers must have felt hard done by to be behind to David Wheater's 14th minute opener at half-time, Boro's willingness to attack caused all manner of problems for the hosts.

And, despite being frustrated by the way Matt Derbyshire was given the freedom of Ewood Park to equalise 14 minutes from time, Middlesbrough's positive play going forward will have heartened manager Gareth Southgate.

But, once again, Southgate was left to rue the absence of a prolific striker. Afonso Alves, Wagner Love or Fred, any of those are likely to have found the net here.

The evidence again, after missing a series of good chances to win this fixture, suggests that if Southgate can bring in the right forward before January 31, Middlesbrough will stay up.

Instead, having failed to win at Rovers, the threat of relegation remains and their will now be added importance when struggling Wigan arrive at the Riverside Stadium two weeks today.

Victory should have been assured just after half-time when Jeremie Aliadiere missed a simple chance on goal before Tuncay Sanli somehow contrived to waste an even easier one.

But while they were guilty of making a hash of "gilt edged chances", which would have left Blackburn "dead and buried" according to Southgate, there is no disguising his find of the season so far is at the back - David Wheater.

It was the 20-year-old defender's header, from Stewart Downing's precise free-kick, after 14 minutes which edged Boro ahead.

And they rarely looked like throwing that lead away until Derbyshire's back post finish as he stood unmarked 14 minutes from time.

The two goalscorers are Under-21 team-mates with England and Wheater said: "We defended well all afternoon and just gave them that one chance and Matt Derbyshire doesn't miss those.

"I know Matt - I asked him before the game if he was going to come on and score again, like he did at the Riverside in August, and he said he was."

Wheater kept his place in the side despite Southgate's admission in the build up to this fixture that Jonathan Woodgate was fit and available.

It is a mark of the impression Wheater has made that he is in the team on merit, ahead of the more experienced Chris Riggott, and there is talk of an improved contract. And he can score as well.

He has found the net in three of his last five appearances and only Downing has scored more than the four the centre-back has chalked up this season.

"I can't really believe how well it's going for me personally," said Wheater, who spent the first four months of 2007 on loan at Darlington. "I didn't expect to even be here this year - I thought I'd be out on loan somewhere. But here I am in the team and hopefully I'll stay.

"I could be top scorer the way things are going - I'm only one behind Stewie and I'm after him. I've told him it won't be long before I catch him."

Had Wheater's second half header flown into the net rather than crashed the bar he would have been level already with the England winger.

But instead, like so many other opportunities created, Middlesbrough were left to rue wastefulness in front of goal as the reason why they did not emerge from Blackburn winners.

Rovers did enjoy more possession in the first half but, with the exception of long range drives from Andre Ooijer and David Bentley, Mark Schwarzer was relatively untroubled.

And immediately after the restart, Fabio Rochemback's eye for a long pass gifted Aliadiere two clear runs behind the Blackburn defence.

Firstly the Frenchman shot wide when he should have squared to Gary O'Neil and then, after learning from his error, he did roll to Tuncay moments later only for the Turk to fail to connect just yards from goal.

Blackburn had been allowed to claw level. Roque Santa Cruz's header into the box forced Wheater to charge towards Jason Roberts, with Huth nowhere. And that allowed Derbyshire to coast in from the right, ahead of Emanuel Pogatetz, and tap in.

Both Downing and Aliadiere had headers which almost still won the match for Boro, although there was a feeling from the visitor's camp that referee Keith Stroud was as much to blame as anyone for the result.

He awarded 25 free-kicks against Boro, in what was not an overly competitive fixture, and made a number of strange decisions.

"I don't like moaning about refs but when they're that bad I think it needs mentioning," said Boro full-back Luke Young, who had a word with the official at half-time. "Some of the decisions you just had to shake your head at.

"It's too important at this level to be making ridiculous decisions like that. It's his first season at this level and you could tell because he was trying to be as safe as possible. The home fans were pretty pleased with it."