SCOTT McDONALD has had injections to try to clear up the injury that ruled him out of Saturday's victory over QPR, a game Gordon Strachan believes would have suited him perfectly.

Aussie striker McDonald has never recovered properly from a hernia operation he underwent shortly before joining Boro from Celtic in January and missed the match after a visit to a specialist.

Boro lacked a cutting edge against Rangers and Strachan felt McDonald's absence was a big loss to the team.

"At his fittest Scott would gobble up games like that one," said the manager. "He would have a real impact for us. He's a terrific player and what he brings to the side is he links up well with midfield players and allows them to play.

"He's had a couple of injections in the area where the pain is so we'll see if that improves the situation."

Boro won thanks to two penalties taken by another of Strachan's recruits from his former club, Barry Robson.

"I didn't think he hit the first one as well as I thought he would and I said to the guys he would hit the second one better and it was a better penalty," said Strachan.

Like most people in the stadium, the manager felt Boro should have had a penalty earlier in the game when 6ft 3ins Latvian defender Kaspars Gorkss handled Gary O'Neil's cross.

"I don't think I've seen a more blatant handball not given this year," said Strachan. "He's got a headband as well, just to identify him more than anyone else, and long, flowing hair and a hand flapping and punching it away just as we were about to head the ball into the net."

At 2-0 Boro fans hoped their team would turn on the style but Rangers dominated possession for much of the second half restricting the home team's chances to a couple of promising breakaways.

"Players lose concentration and that's a huge thing," said Strachan. "Danny had to make two wonderful, wonderful saves.

"Mick (Stephen McManus) was the leader in the defence. He's getting better all the time. He knew when to hold the line and when to push up.  When you see other results you realise how important that win was."



Meanwhile, Strachan revealed that Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz, who was substituted with just over 20 minutes remaining, picked up a knee injury during the game.

"Typical Poggy, he didn't tell us there was a problem until he came off but I knew there was something wrong, I could see he was struggling," the manager said.

Pogatetz will join up with his country's squad for assessment ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Denmark in Vienna.

BOOK YOUR SEATS FOR BORO'S NEXT HOME GAME, AGAINST NEWCASTLE UNITED AT THE RIVERSIDE