Middlesbrough Football Club News

• Nickname:Boro
• Founded:1876
• Manager:Tony Mowbray

• Ground:Riverside Stadium
• Capacity:35,049

Southgate retains Boro belief

12 Apr 2009 - 10:55:47

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Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate was full of praise for his side after they boosted their survival hopes with a crucial 3-1 win at home to Hull City.

Goals from Tuncay, Matthew Bates and Marlon King moved Boro to within four points of safety and gave Southgate renewed belief for the weeks ahead.

He said: "I thought our work ethic was brilliant.

"We had to be men, we had to stand up and answer some questions that were being posed internally and thrown at us externally.

"We have given ourselves hope now. We are still in there fighting and you just never know.

"The reason it was a must-win game was because of the impact it would have on the other teams at the bottom, Hull being one of them. It was a crucial win and I think the players deserved it.

"If the season ends tomorrow we are down, so we have less to lose now. We are looking upwards. Can we get back into the race? Possibly we have now.

"There is still a huge amount to do, but maybe other teams have got something to lose and, frankly, we haven't."