Southgate yearning for goals

Gareth Southgate made a bit of Middlesbrough history at the Riverside Stadium but fears his continued success might come at a price.

Southgate was part of the Boro defence which kept their sixth consecutive top-flight clean sheet for the first time since Jack Charlton’s reign in 1975.

But once again Boro’s shot-shy strike-force failed to capitalise and stretched their own blank run to four – with the exception of an own goal which won them three points at Manchester City.

Southgate admitted he was delighted by another highly impressive defensive display but knows it will not be enough to continue steering Steve McClaren’s men up the table.

Southgate said: “We know we are going to be solid at the back but we know we cannot keep clean sheets for ever.

“Now what we need to do is start scoring. This is four games now without a goal scored by one of us and it’s clearly what we need to work on.”

Danny Mills had the best chance to beat a dogged Portsmouth side who continue to slip down the table from their heady early heights.

Mills latched onto a fine Massimo Maccarone lay-off in the 73rd minute but saw his powerful shot clatter down off the crossbar and away to safety.

And the home side failed to capitalise when Steve Stone was sent off three minutes later for a second bookable offence which even McClaren admitted was “harsh”.

McClaren expressed his satisfaction with his side’s performance and both he and Southgate stressed the midweek extra time exertions in the Carling Cup had cost his side their edge.

Southgate added: “We feel it was an opportunity to win but they were very dogged and I genuinely think two hours of football took the sharpness out of us.

“We’re frustrated but at least we didn’t get beaten and later in the season it might not be a disastrous result.”

While McClaren backed Stone, Pompey boss Harry Redknapp bit his tongue and refused to be overly critical of referee Steve Bennett.

Redknapp would only go as far as to say: “We do seem to be on the end of a few decisions like that at the moment but hopefully things will even themselves out.”

The Pompey boss was understandably happy with a point after a dismal run of seven defeats from nine which had plunged his side to the fringes of the drop zone.

Yakubu made a lively start and Teddy Sheringham was always dangerous from long range but the visitors never really threatened to claim all three points.

Pompey were forced to cling on at the after McClaren’s decision to introduce Maccarone in place of the ineffective Michael Ricketts.

Boro enjoyed most of the possession and piled forward to test the nervy Pavel Srnicek but the Pompey defence marshalled by the superb Matthew Taylor held firm.

Ultimately Pompey will have been far happier to take a point from a dismal match which will immediately be forgotten.

Like McClaren, Redknapp is currently rueing the lack of a big target man to play alongside Sheringham and intimated he would look at his options during the transfer window.

Redknapp said: “We are just short of goals at the moment but Teddy will come good at the end and he will get 12 or 13 goals for us.

“If the right player comes along I will try to find a striker but we have also got injuries to Jason Roberts and Vincent Pericard at the moment which don’t help.”