Middlesbrough 3 Doncaster Rovers 0: Future looking bright for Boro but Doncaster have work to do

Boro took the lead with a sizzling Barry Robson free-kick just before the break and then sealed it in the second half with a Leroy Lita strike and stoppage-time goal from teenage debutant Adam Reach.

As well as Reach, Mowbray gave a second-half outing to fellow teenager Cameron Park and the pair injected some pace and urgency into the game.

The duo have joined a clutch of exciting young players in the Boro squad and some, like Rhys Williams and Joe Bennett, have already attracted attention from bigger clubs. But the Boro boss was keen to stress that despite the continued need to balance the books, he was under no pressure to cash in on the kids.

“I will get phone calls from other managers over the summer and I don’t mind that because it means that they are good players that other people want,” he said. “I would be a bit disappointed if other team’s didn’t want them.

“But I must stress that I am under no pressure whatsoever from the club to sell any of our younger talented players.

“I know there has been speculation in the papers over some of them but I want them here at this club and I have told them that.”

On versatile Aussie Williams, linked last week with £3m interest from Premier League Bolton, he said: “Rhys needs a full season under his belt after coming back from injury and he needs to be doing it here. He is a real talent but to realise it he needs to get 40 games under his belt and he knows we want him to do that at Middlesbrough.”

Disappointed Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll admitted his side lacked hunger.

“There was no desire,” he said. “I can’t explain it but we didn’t show the kind of standards we expect in games.

“I think the important game was last week when we drew with Leicester to ensure we stayed up and I think maybe that was in a few minds that the job was done.

“Whatever the reason it just didn’t happen for us.

“But we have to remember that we have dragged this club kicking and screaming into the Championship in recent years and have stayed there again this year.”

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, McManus, Rhys Williams, Taylor, Thomson, Smallwood (Park 72), Robson (Reach 53), McDonald (McMahon 59), Lita, Emnes. Unused substitutes: Smith, Kink, Halliday, Luke Williams.

Doncaster: Sullivan, O’Connor, Thomas, Kilgallon, Dumbuya (Martis 75), Wilson, Simon Gillett (Shiels 70), Simon Gillett (Shiels 70), Oster, Moussa (Sharp 61), Euell, Hayter. Unused substitutes: Maxted, Hird, Lucas, Husband.

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire).

Man of the match: A Reach.