Boro Reserves 0 Liverpool Reserves 2

BORO lost their unbeaten record last night but Chris Riggott came through his comeback game at the Riverside unscathed.

Riggott, returning to action for Boro's table-topping team after recovering from a back injury, was booked for dissent after disputing a free-kick in first half injury time. 

The former Derby County centre-back hurt himself in a collision with Arsenal winger Robert Pires during the Gunners' 4-0 win at the Riverside last month.

Steve Gillespie opened the scoring for the visitors with a goal just before the half-hour mark before sub Mark Smyth doubled the advantage in the second half.

The first goal came when Liverpool beat the offside trap with a long-range pass and Gillespie ran on before driving the ball between Ross Turnbull's legs from close range.

Before that it had been an even contest, Doriva having come closest for Boro with a snapshot from the edge of the box which was scrambled away by the Liverpool keeper. 

Ten minutes after scoring Gillespie was carried from the field on a stretcher after being injured while shooting just wide after a glorious pass inside the full-back from Potter. Smyth came off the bench to replace him.

Craig Dove came close to levelling matters shortly before the break with a tremendous long-range strike which looked a goal all the way before flashing narrowly wide.   

Chris Brunt came on at half-time for Jamie Cade and with the side looking more balanced they soon had another chance to get on level terms, but Mark Wilson's shot was saved.

Boro were then caught napping at the back but Turnbull produced a great save with his feet to deny the Reds.  

Dove was booked for disputing an offside decision after he was flagged as he tried to latch onto Gary Smith's excellent through ball.

England striker Michael Ricketts was in the side as he moves towards peak fitness ahead of Saturday's game against his former club, Bolton Wanderers.

Ricketts scored his only Premiership goal for Boro so far in the 2-1 defeat at the Reebok Stadium on the final day of last season.

Perhaps with one eye on that game, Ricketts was replaced by prolific teenage striker Danny Graham, while Smith made way for Swedish youth star Niklas Nordgren in a 70th-minute double substitution. 

Tony McMahon produced a superb tackle inside the box to deny Potter what would have been a killer goal in the 77th minute.

At the other end Graham steered the ball wide from close range after good work from the lively Nordgren, while Brunt was not far off target with a raking shot.

But Liverpool sealed the points on 80 minutes when Smyth climbed between Taylor and Gulliver to steer a header past Turnbull.  
 
Boro: Turnbull, McMahon, Taylor, Gulliver, Riggott, Smith (Nordgren 70), Doriva, Wilson, Dove, Cade (Brunt 46), Ricketts (Graham 70). Unused subs: Roberts (gk), Harrison.

Liverpool: Luzi, Otsemobor, Whitbread, Medjani, Traore, Foley-Sheridan, Partridge, Potter, Gillespie (Smyth 39), Cheyrou, Foy (Wright 77). Unused subs: Harrison (gk), Vaughan, Raven.

Attendance: 969