Yak retains spot-kick duty

Boro striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has no plans to relinquish his spot-kick duty.

The Nigerian ace had been deadly from 12 yards this season, but missed twice from the penalty spot in Boro's FA Cup replay with The Robins.

Yakubu does not want to pass on the side's spot-kick duty and has promised to score against West Brom this weekend if Gareth Southgate's troops are awarded a penalty.

"I still want to take penalties," he said. "I am still the Boro penalty-taker and if we get one in the first minutes against West Brom, I will take it. Not only that but I will score.

"One bad night does not mean it isn't my job any more. As a striker I want to score as many goals as I can and taking a penalty always gives you a great chance.

"I would have felt bad had I missed one so you could say I feel very, very bad for missing two. But the next time I step up to take one, I will think of all the penalties I have scored.

"My first miss was down to a lack of concentration. Maybe their keeper put me off. It wasn't very good. I felt very bad and that is why I didn't really celebrate my goal too much.

"The second was a bit unlucky, I was never going to go for the same type of penalty but maybe it was just a bad day for me. I won't let it affect me."