Hasselbaink secures victory for fortunate ’Boro

Middlesbrough 3 Fulham 2

The Dutchman was struggling until he blasted a 76th-minute shot into strike-partner Aiyegbeni Yakubu to level at 2-2 and then doubled the dose eight minutes later to snatch all three points with a fierce drive.

Boro looked to be heading for a second successive Premiership defeat when first young Dutchman Collins John and then Papa Bouba Diop put the visitors ahead.

But James Morrison’s first league goal for the club kept them in it and paved the way for Hasselbaink’s decisive contribution.

The dramatic conclusion left Fulham boss Chris Coleman bemoaning a referee’s decision for the second time in two seasons as his side headed home empty-handed despite twice taking the lead.

Coleman was furious that Aiyegbeni Yakubu’s 76th-minute equaliser was allowed to stand after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s shot cannoned into him in what he felt was an offside position.

Worse was to follow for the visitors, who were denied victory on Teesside last season by a controversial late penalty, when Hasselbaink drilled home the winner with six minutes remaining to leave all their efforts to count for nothing.

“Look at my players’ reaction,” he said. “They can tell. I know he’s a human being, but you have got a linesman and a referee.

“Uriah Rennie is in a good position, as far as I can see, there are not loads of players in front of him. His comment to Brian McBride was he cannot overrule the linesman - he’s the boss, he bosses the game, he makes the decisions.

“In fairness to the linesman, and the angle he had - from what I have seen - Yakubu was on the other side of Hasselbaink, so maybe it was a little bit shady for him. But for the referee to make that comment, that tells me everything.”

Hasselbaink admitted his initial reaction was that the second equaliser was offside, but manager Steve McClaren was delighted with the way his side stuck to their task.

“That will bring the crowds back, won’t it?” he said with a smile.

“I stressed before the game how important it was to win, and we said to the players beforehand, whatever it takes to win, we have got to do it today.

“We had to start the week well and credit to the players, I think their attitude and the character saw them through in the end, and just enough quality to win the game, although when I look back, we deserved to win.

“We had enough chances, but I thought it was going to be one of those days. But we stuck at it and it’s a massive win for us.”

Meanwhile, McClaren declined to comment on speculation linking him with a move for former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Southgate, Riggott, Queudrue, Parnaby, Morrison, Boateng, Rochemback, Pogatetz (Nemeth 45), Yakubu, Hasselbaink (Doriva 86).

FULHAM: Warner, Volz, Knight, Goma, Niclas Jensen, John (Helguson 78), Diop, Legwinski, Malbranque, Radzinski, McBride.

Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).