Boro come unstuck against the Toffee's

Goerge Boateng failed a late fitness test so Steve McClarne started with the same eleven as Tuesday and they continued where they had left off against the Mackems.

Boro dominated the first half but somehow failed to make their possession count and could only go into the break level at 1-1.

Szilard Nemeth races with Alan Stubbs for a long ball

Szilard Nemeth was on hand to score his third goal this week after just ten minutes. Massimo Maccarone hit a powerful left foot shot, which was parried by Paul Gerrard and the Slovakian showed his sniffer instincts to tap in the loose ball.

Boro continued to dominate and were unlucky to lose the lead against the run of play after 33 minutes. Maccarone was denied by Gerrard and Everton broke up field to equalise. David Unsworth crossed for Tomasz Radzinski who headed against the post, the ball rebounded into the path of Kevin Campbell who tapped in from point blank range.

Nemeth, Maccarone and Joseph-Desire Job continued to cause problems for the Everton defence but failed to regain the lead, thanks in the main to somre poor finishing and Gerrard in the Everton goal.

Eveton made a tactical change for the second half bringing on 16-year-old Wayne Rooney to partner Campbell and Radzinski up front.

The Toffee’s dominated the early exchanges but it was Boro who went closest, Maccarone again in the action, this time his effort beat Gerrard but came back off the post and was cleared.

The turning point came after 75 minutes when Boro were forced to replace captain Gareth Southgate who was struggling with a back injury.

With Boro still re-organising Everton took the lead. The second of two quick corners was glanced home by Campbell who was unmarked in the box.

Steve McClaren gambled with Alen Boksic and Carlos Marinelli but neither failed to make a significant impact and Everton comfortably hung on for the three points.

Boro will be disappointed not to come away with at least a point, although they will be encouraged by the number of chances that they created. On another day it could have been a comfortable victory.