Boro get back to bad old ways

Terry Venables' impact on a Middlesbrough side that had not won for nine games when he moved to Teesside in early December looks to be wearing off.

Saturday's abject showing against Charlton - when Middlesbrough squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to pull clear of the relegation zone - was as bad as anything produced when Bryan Robson was in sole control.

That profligacy could haunt Boro, who hope to complete the £1million signing of Dean Windass from Bradford today after putting the striker through a routine medical.

Boro's escape route is littered with difficult obstacles and promises to be far more fraught than those facing their relegation rivals - away to Newcastle and Chelsea, at home to Sunderland and then a trip to Arsenal.

With their following three games against Leicester, Ipswich and Manchester United, Boro could be destined for the First Division by the time they play Bradford and West Ham on the final two weekends of the season.

Before Saturday, 31 goals had been scored against Charlton on their travels in 14 Premiership games but goalkeeper Sasa Ilic had to make just one good save - denying Alen Boksic five minutes from time as an increasingly desperate Boro tried to break the deadlock. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who was with Boro when they were relegated in 1997, tried to play down the importance of the majority of his club's remaining nine fixtures being so tricky.

Yet, at the same time, he acknowledged that relegation is an uncomfortable possibility. 'When we started our good run around Christmas time we had games against Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Leeds, and although no one thought we would get points from those games we did.