Goals key to Boro challenge

Tony Mowbray believes it's Middlesbrough's ability to find goals that is proving the major factor to their improvement this season.

Four different players got their names on the scoresheet yesterday as Boro secured a thrilling 4-2 victory over Blackpool at the Riverside.

Recalled striker Ishmael Miller, Richard Smallwood, Scott McDonald and substitute Adam Reach were all on target, although the hosts still required goalkeeper Jason Steele to save Tom Ince's 82nd minute penalty as their opponents threatened to bring the contest back level at 3-3.

"I thought we were magnificent in the first half," Mowbray told Boro's official website. "We got ourselves two goals in front but I said at half-time they would come out in the second half and be more expansive and cause us problems and they did.

"I know Blackpool will hurt teams because they have very, very talented players and in the second half they asked real questions of us," he added. "Yet our team have the ability to score goals this year. Last year there were too many draws. We've got more goal threat throughout the team - that was the big difference for us."

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