Middlesbrough 0 West Bromwich Albion 5

WEST Brom extended their unbeaten run by battering Boro in this top-of-the-table clash, writes GORDON COX from the Riverside.

Sean St Ledger was handed his first start and home debut as he replaced Seb Hines in a starting line-up that had no Gary O'Neil or Caleb Folan, who started on the bench just a couple of days after signing on loan from Hull City. O'Neil was missing with hamstring problems.

Tuesday was the first time in 80 league games that Middlesbrough had come from behind to win, the last time being in August 2007 at Fulham - so long ago that Mido lined up for the first time in a Boro shirt and Andrew Davies for the last.

Gareth Southgate elected to keep Jeremie Aliadiere and Marvin Emnes together and recall Mark Yeates to play on the right.

Didier Digard, who played an hour for the Reserves on Wednesday, was named on the bench as he returned to the squad for the first time since the opening day of the season when he suffered a groin injury.

West Brom arrived unbeaten and having scored 17 goals in their last six games,

but Roberto di Matteo was forced into one change and voluntarily made another as Robert Koren dropped to the bench to make way for the return of Luke Moore, while Jerome Thomas replaced the injured Marek Cech.

As expected, the side included Scott Carson, tipped for an England recall by Signor di Matteo this week.

Carson had his first taste of league football against Middlesbrough in dramatic circumstances, coming on for Leeds after Paul Robinson had been sent off for fouling Joseph Job at Elland Road in 2004.

The first thing he had to do in his career was face a Michael Ricketts penalty. Ricketts scored, Boro won 3-0, and Leeds went down.

Boro started brightly with Tony McMahon pressing down the right and Rhys Williams just clearing the crossbar with a well-struck drive from 23 yards.

The visiting fans had a good view of most of the early action as the game was predominantly played in the half defended by their team, Boro, playing with the North Stand at their back, constantly attacking.

Adam Johnson could have done better when sending a 20-yard free-kick half a yard over, while former Boro Academy star Chris Brunt, who has gone on to good things since leaving, had two shots in quick succession charged down.

That gave Albion hope, together with some questionable decisions from referee Mr Kettle, who seemed to take objection to McMahon's style of tackling in particular and the North Stand let the referee know exactly what they felt about his style of refereeing.

The Boro fans certainly felt Mr Kettle had a part to play in the opening goal, which came after 17 minutes as Williams looked to have been fouled in the build-up.

He chased back and committed a foul out of frustration 25 yards goal and was shown the yellow card.

Chris Brunt struck the free-kick, which took a wicked defection, leaving Danny Coyne helpless.

Brunt's celebrations were respectfully muted, the goal coming against the team that gave him a break in the game.

Boro were stung and the reaction wasn't instantaneous as Albion upped their game, seeming to inject a yard of pace.

Threats were coming from across the pitch and although Thomas was booked for diving - a good decision in the heat of the moment - it was clear Boro needed to get a grip.

They didn't and went two down on the half hour as a long ball through the middle had Coyne racing out of his area. His clearance fell to Chris Brunt, who was not closed down as from a few yards closer to goal than the centre-circle he instinctively shot first time over the goalkeeper.

At the same time Southgate was forced into a substitution as Folan made his Boro debut, replacing Aliadiere, who limped off.

Emnes had been putting himself about to decent effect and when the ball fell to him inside the box a low shot, arguably mishit, was deflected for Boro's first corner of the game with 37 minutes played.

A Johnson inswinger looked for a moment to be falling perfectly for David Wheater but he was eased out of the way.

Three minutes from half-time the game took another turn down a dark alley for Boro as Graeme Dorrans swung over a cross from the right edge of the penalty area and Yousuff Mulumbu looped a header over Coyne, a yard off his line, from 10 yards.

Half-time: Middlesbrough 0 West Bromwich Albion 3

There was a more tentative start to the second half from Boro and although they still enjoyed enough possession to cause problems, they needed massive shot of confidence.

A change of shape had Folan leading the line, Emnes wide left and Johnson right, with Yeates plying a more central midfield role.

Yeates hit the side netting with a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area before Arca was given a final warning by Mr Kettle following a foul when already on a yellow card.

It was perhaps no surprise when Southgate replaced him with Digard a few minutes later.

Albion pressed through the lively Thomas and it took good defending from McMahon to prevent further progress inside the penalty area.

When Johnson swung over a right-wing free-kick and St Ledger rose high to meet it there was hope fora fleeting second that Boro had found a foothole in the game, but Carson was commanding and clutched away any chance.

A quick run from the lively Dorrans caught Boro out down the right and when the deflected ball sat up invitingly for Brunt, a hat-trick was on the cards. However, he shot half a yard wide from 16.

They didn't have to wait long before adding to their score. Nine minutes from time the ball was worked to Roman Bednar, who took his time before curling low beyond Coyne from the edge of the area into the goalkeeper's left-hand corner.

A drilled Yeates shot 35 yards from goal brought a scrambling save away to his right from Carson.

Then when Johnson fell and won a free-kick and Shelton Martis was booked for protesting the award of a free-kick, Boro had another chance to press but failed to take it as Digard's shot struck the wall.

Entering the final minute of normal time Digard, closer to the edge of the Albion penalty area than the halfway line, played a stray pass under pressure and Albion broke to devastating effect as Jerome Thomas took possession, raced into the area, twisted and turned and eventually shot low away to Coyne's left and into the bottom corner of the net.

Boro's embarrassment was complete.

Middlesbrough Coyne; McMahon, Wheater (Capt), St Ledger, Grounds, Yeates, Williams, Arca (Digard 57), A Johnson, Emnes (Lita 66), Aliadiere (Folan 31). Unused subs: Jones (gk); Hoyte, Hines, Bennett.

West Bromwich Albion Carson; Martis, Thomas, Zuiverloon, Olsson, Mattock (Barnett 73), Brunt (Wood 81), Dorrans, Moore (Koren 64), Mulumbu, Bednar. Unused subs: Kiely (gk); Cox, Reid, Teixeira.

Referee: Mr T Kettle

Bookings

Middlesbrough: Williams, 16, foul; Arca, 29, foul.

West Bromwich Albion: Thomas, 28, diving; Olsson, 52, dissent; Mattock, 62, dissent; Dorrans, 66, foul; Martis, 86, dissent.7

Attendance: 22,725 (1,153 from West Brom)

Conditions: Warm, overcast and breezy.

Website Boro Man of the Match: Rhys Williams