THIS time last year Dwight Yorke could have been heading for Middlesbrough after Manchester United accepted a £6 million bid for the Trinidad and Tobago star.

Boro boss Steve McClaren was desperate for a goal-poacher and he saw the 31-year-old as the man to provide the missing craft and guile.

But Yorke then promptly turned down McClaren's advances, much to Sir Alex Ferguson's annoyance, and later signed for Blackburn instead.

So how galling it must have been for Boro fans to watch their team crash to a seventh consecutive away defeat at the hands of their former transfer target as Rovers celebrated the New Year with a drop of the vintage stuff.

It was just like old times as Yorke and his pal Andy Cole sought to work their magic in the 58th minute.

Keith Gillespie's ball in from the right was instinctively dummied by Yorke for Cole who was lurking behind him on the edge of the box and, though his attempted return pass struck a defender, it finally found its target via the aid of a ricochet before Yorke steadied his aim and smashed home the winner.

It was his seventh goal of the season, five of which have come in the Premiership.

And he's proving to be something of a lucky charm because whenever Yorke scores, Rovers win.

But, while he was all toothy grins, McClaren, his former coach at Old Trafford, was left to chew over yet another toothless away performance by his fading stars.

Boro were so poor up front that Brad Friedel could have gone on strike in the second half and once Yorke had pounced the result was never in any doubt.

"I thought it was a case of two tired teams in the first half," mused Rovers chief Graeme Souness.

"The holiday period appeared to be taking its toll on everyone but I said to them at half-time 'if we can find another gear and step it up a yard then we'll win this game' and that's how it turned out.

"Losing Ugo Ehiogu was clearly an enormous blow to them but we had some really good performances in the second half and we deserved to win it in the end.

"Andy Cole was outstanding again and Dwight got the goal. How many times do you see the ball get played into the box and the first one steps over it and they try for a one-two?

"They got a wee bit of luck with the bobble but it was no more than we deserved given the way we performed in the second half."

Robbed of influential figures such as Damien Duff and Craig Short, Souness was forced to name Academy graduates Jay McEveley and Neil Danns in his starting line-up and McEveley, in particular, seized the opportunity to shine.

Quick, strong and composed in possession, the 17-year-old turned in his most accomplished first team performance so far.

And, providing he keeps a level head, then who knows how far he can go in the game?

Some of Rovers' defending has left a lot to be desired this season but a back four boasting an average age of 21 did an outstanding job of snuffing out Boro's £10 million strike-force of Alen Boksic and Massimo Maccarone which can only augur well for the future.

Defences were certainly on top in an instantly forgettable first half, even though Boro lost Ehiogu with a rib injury after just eight minutes.

Friedel, who was a virtual spectator for the vast majority of the afternoon, had to save smartly from Geremi early on following an incisive move down the right.

But it was hardly a sign of things to come as Boro went into their shell as an attacking force after that with Maccarone and Boksic reduced to fighting for scraps like scavengers up front.

At least Rovers had a talisman in Cole who did his utmost to rise above the mediocrity.

One dab on the accelerator saw him burst past a defender but his low drive squirted beyond the far post.

And the former England man then repeated the trick five minutes before the interval only this time his fierce shot was beaten away by the impressive Mark Schwarzer.

Something had to change in the second half and it promptly did.

Keith Gillespie's introduction as a half-time substitute injected a greater urgency into Rovers after the break and they totally bossed proceedings from that point on.

Poignantly, McEveley and Lucas Neill also pushed up a further 10 yards down the flanks and the home side attacked with more menace as a result. Neill set the tone when his surging run from the back ended with a goal-bound strike which was deflected around the post.

Then, when the all-important goal finally arrived in the 58th minute, Gillespie played a leading role.

The Northern Ireland international fed a pass in from the right which Cole tried to flick on but the ball ricocheted off a defender and dropped kindly for Yorke who made no mistake from 10 yards out.

The relief around Ewood was tangible. After that, it was a case of how many? McEveley struck the bar with a ferocious drive and Schwarzer had to make two terrific saves to deny the ravenous Cole and Tugay as Rovers pressed for a second.

In contrast, Boro rarely posed a threat as an attacking force and it was easy to see why McClaren's men have only scored four goals away from home all season.

Job and Maccarone made way for Szilard Nemeth and Dean Windass but, unlike the West Ham game on Saturday or the corresponding fixture at the Riverside earlier in the season, there was to be no nasty surprises lurking around the corner in the dying minutes.

So eight points out of 12 and four games unbeaten over the festive period have made for a thoroughly satisfying Christmas.

Now it's time to concentrate on the Cups.

ROVERS 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 0

Yorke 58