Rovers 0 Middlesbrough 4.

[Alan75]

A goal by George Boateng and a hat trick by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, gave Middlesbrough a 4-0 win against a 10 man Rovers this afternoon.

With the game only 30 minutes old, Rovers went down to 10 men after Tugay was sent off for his second yellow card of the game. Tugay having already been booked for a delibarate handball left referee Mike Riley with no option but to send off the midfielder after he had tackled Mendieta from behind.

Although Rovers had held out until half time, they went down 1-0 shortly after the restart, when Hasselbaink, collected Downing's through ball and turned the Rovers defence, before rifling home a left-foot shot past Friedel.

Boro's second on 50 minutes came from Boateng who converted Mendieta's pass in to the penalty area.

Hasselbaink sidefooted home the third for Brough, from another Downing pass in the 57th minute, and scored again towards the end to get his hat trick.

Rovers : Friedel, Neill, Amoruso (Short 63), Matteo, Gray, Emerton, Ferguson, Tugay, Reid, Djorkaeff (Jansen 78), Dickov (Stead 60).

Subs Not Used: Pedersen, Enckelman.

Red card : Tugay (30).

Yellow card : Matteo.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, McMahon, Riggott, Southgate, Parnaby (Nemeth 45), Mendieta (Morrison 80), Parlour, Boateng, Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink.

Subs Not Used: Ehiogu, Bates, Nash.

Yellow card: McMahon.

Goals: Hasselbaink 46, Boateng 50, Hasselbaink 57, 90.

Attendance : 20,385

Ref: M Riley