BOKSIC IS BORO CHARM

ALEN BOKSIC`S magnificent strike at Filbert Street on Saturday boosted Middlesbrough's chances of Premiership survival and extended his marvellous scoring run, in which Boro never lose when the former Juventus man finds the back of the net for the club.

Signed for a modest £2.5 million in the summer, the transfer is looking like a shrewd piece of business by Bryan Robson. Originally Boksic's intelligent forward play was often wasted as his team-mates failed to feed off his clever movement and running off the ball.

But in the closing weeks of the season, the striker is delivering the goods when it matters most and his colleagues have developed a closer rapport with the Croatian marksman.

Earlier this season, Boksic was said to be unhappy with the ability of certain of his team-mates as they failed to match his high standards. His current goals to shots ratio of 19% the best ratio at the club demonstrates he is by far the most dangerous striker at the Riverside.

And his three goal assists indicate how well he links up with his team-mates these days. Fellow summer recruit Christian Karembeu, who has notched four set-ups, is the only player to claim more assists than Boksic in the current campaign.

But Boksic is capable of more than the odd outburst. When he was at Lazio he refused to play in one match after complaining that his shirt was uncomfortable and too tight across his chest for him to play his usual game.

However Boro's kitman appears to be providing the right kind of attire for Boksic, judging by his stunning goal on Saturday when he run from deep before spotting Leicester goalkeeper Simon Royce a few inches off his line. He then sent the ball over Royce with an audacious made-to-measure chip that had even the Foxes fans grudgingly applaud at such a magnificent goal.

The strike, meant that in the eight league games Boksic has scored this term, Boro have never been defeated, winning five and drawing the remaining three. And with champions Manchester United visiting the Riverside on Saturday, a Boksic strike could mean the Teessiders picking up more precious points in their quest to avoid relegation.

Certainly his confidence will be on a high as he notched a goal every 172 minutes - well above the Premiership average for a striker - and up against a United team that is hardly firing on all cylinders at the moment, he will fancy his chances of adding to his tally.