Hotshots hit the target as Boro bounce City

Middlesbrough 3 Man City 2

Neither of the strikers Steve McClaren recruited during the summer had hit the back of the net since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink plundered a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Blackburn on October 16, with Mark Viduka having to go back a month earlier for his last strike.

But between them they produced three finishes of the highest class to edge the verdict over Kevin Keegan's visitors, for whom Robbie Fowler ended his own personal drought and Bradley Wright-Phillips struck on his Premiership debut late on.

Viduka opened the scoring with just nine minutes gone and then after Fowler had levelled before the break, he claimed a second on 54 minutes to restore his side's advantage.

Viduka's most significant contribution came early when he accepted Downing's pass with a superb first touch which opened up the way to goal and then he delicately chipped the ball over the advancing David James.

The Australian might have had a second with 17 minutes gone when he benefited from Hasselbaink's tussle with Sylvain Distin to chip towards goal but this time James managed to get to the ball in time.

Chances were few and far between until Fowler turned back the clock to claim an equaliser of real class.

There was little spectacular about Distin's long punt forward to Jon Macken, but when he headed down into the box his strike-partner turned to smash a right-foot shot which hit Mark Schwarzer on its way into the roof of the net.

Szilard Nemeth might have restored his side's advantage in first-half injury time, but Downing got in his way as he prepared to shoot.

On 54 minutes McMahon, Hasselbaink and Viduka combined to excellent effect to put their side back in front.

Viduka steered McMahon's throw-in towards Hasselbaink and then set off for the return, which arrived right on cue for him to guide it past James with the outside of his right foot.

Boro extended their advantage four minutes later when Hasselbaink decided it was time he left his mark on the game. His jinking run lured Richard Dunne into a messy challenge 25 yards out and his bludgeoning right boot sent the ball screaming past James and into the far corner from the resulting free-kick.

There was to be a twist in the tail, however, when 19-year-old Wright-Phillips Junior pounced on Danny Mills' knock-down 10 minutes from time and shot past Schwarzer to ensure a tense finish.

The youngster might have made an even bigger name for himself on 85 minutes when he found space on the right. But he snatched at his shot and missed the target, and it was Barton who almost grabbed a point three minutes later with a pile-driver which Schwarzer had to turn away.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, McMahon, Southgate, Cooper, Reiziger, Nemeth (Doriva 45), Parlour, Zenden, Downing, Viduka, Hasselbaink (Bates 90).

MAN CITY: James, Mills, Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bosvelt, Barton, Sibierski (Flood 76), Macken (Bradley Wright-Phillips 76), Fowler.

Referee: G Poll