Hasselbaink gives under-fire McClaren boost

Middlesbrough 1 Coventry 0

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fired troubled Middlesbrough into the FA Cup fifth round as one of Steve McClaren’s senior players answered his call to stand up and be counted against Coventry tonight.

The 33-year-old Dutchman expertly converted strike-partner Aiyegbeni Yakubu’s 20th-minute through-ball to book Boro a trip to Preston next weekend.

However, while Boro dominated before the break, Coca-Cola Championship Coventry staged a second-half revival and the Teessiders were forced to defend for their lives to avoid further embarrassment in the fourth-round replay.