This is The North East | Sport | Football

Boro cannot quite match those achievements but, with last night's 4-2 victory over Charlton having earned an FA Cup semi-final date with West Ham to go along with this month's UEFA Cup semi-final double-header with Steaua Bucharest, the England number two is experiencing a sense of d�j� vu.

"We are gathering momentum," said McClaren, who enhanced his international credentials by winning his private battle with Charlton manager Alan Curbishley.

"It is like 1999, in that we have no time to think about anything. You have to keep your head down and keep charging forward. A few months ago, this was a long way off, but we had big-game players waiting to come back and they have made a difference."

Last night's success came courtesy of a thrilling attacking display in which both Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka outclassed a Charlton defence that had looked so solid in last month's goalless draw at the Valley.

The pair both found the back of the net as the Addicks threatened to produce a late rally, goals which took the cumulative total for Boro's strikers beyond the half-century mark this season.

"I told the players, 'Let's make one semi-final into two'," said McClaren. "It was a great game and Charlton contributed fully to it, but we won it with our finishing as all four goals were superbly taken.

"We have plenty of goals in our team. They have 50 goals between them this season and (Aiyegbeni) Yakubu, who did not play, is top of the league when it comes to assists."

Yakubu's absence underlined the strength of attacking resources at McClaren's disposal. The Boro boss was criticised for making wholesale changes as his side lost to Newcastle at the weekend, but last night's victory underlined the wisdom of his tinkering.

"We have kept the players rotated and we have been rewarded," said McClaren. "I make no apologies for that policy - we have needed it.

"The Basle game last week gave us so much belief and confidence. We're going into games knowing we can score goals and we also know we have the belief, resilience and character to come back from anything the opposition does."

* Defender Emanuel Pogatetz has been warned against returning to full training for three months for fear of risking his eyesight.

Pogatetz broke his nose and cheekbone in an accidental clash of heads with Basle's Mladen Petric during the first leg of Boro's UEFA Cup quarter-final.

The left-back last week underwent successful surgery to have the fractures reset, however, Pogatetz has been ordered to take no physical exercise for a month and to stay away from full football training for three months.

To add to his woes, Pogatetz travels to Munich on April 24 for surgery to cure a hernia problem.

* Boro have received 18,500 tickets for the FA Cup semi-final against West Ham which takes place at Villa Park on Sunday April 23, kick off 4pm. Boro's longest-serving season ticket holders will have first opportunity to purchase the tickets when they go on sale from 9.30am tomorrow. Tickets will be on sale only to S and T red book holders between 9.30am and 5.30pm tomorrow and Saturday.

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