Desire goal gets the Job done!

Rovers' master plan was to keep striker Massimo Maccarone quiet, the £8.25m buy from Italy, but instead Nils-Eric Johansson committed the crime which gave African star Joseph Desire Job the opportunity to steal the points two minutes into injury time.

It was daylight robbery and Boro's late goal and the three point haul was described as "sickening" by Lucas Neill, as a "a cruel blow" by Graeme Souness and defender Craig Short just could not accept it after Rovers dominated the game.

"It was just disbelief when the goal went in, pure disbelief," said the shell-shocked Short.

"Nissa was upset. He defended well, but it was a difficult ball in the air for him to deal with. It was always going to be a hard one in the last moments. We were robbed."

Neill admitted: "It's a compete sickener to play in such a one-sided game, and come away with nothing. I have never felt so disappointed after a game in my career."

The Riverside is fast becoming one of Rovers' least favourite haunts.

Last season, Ewood chief Graeme Souness made his infamous "minging" outburst at referee Graham Barber following Neill's dismissal in the FA Cup and Ugo Ehiogu then grabbed the 87th minute winner.

This time, rather than anger, Souness was disappointed, bemused and at a loss for words after seeing his side's unbeaten start to the season go up in smoke in a final flurry.

Rovers should and could have won it at a canter.

David Dunn once again pressed his claim for an England call-up - the squad for the weekend's game against Portugal is set to be announced today - by dominating the midfield.

Garry Flitcroft battled hard, Damien Duff once more produced the tricks but it was new boy David Thompson, signed last week for £1.5m from Coventry, who was impressive.

Souness was so sure the 23-year-old midfielder would slot into his side that Turkish hero Tugay was dropped to the bench and Thompson started on the right for his debut.

And the watching Rovers fans must have been impressed at how self-assured and easily he fitted into the line-up.

He immediately developed an understanding with right back Neil, had plenty of confidence to make breaks into the box and linked superbly with Dunn and Flitcroft.

And to cap it all, the new boy almost made the breakthrough Rovers needed, heading over at one stage and rifling in a 25-yard drive which the outstanding Mark Schwarzer saved.

"He gives us something different," admitted Short. "He looks tidy, knocks in good balls, works hard and won a lot of second balls. He played extremely well."

The main downside for Rovers, however, was their failure to turn possession -they must have had 75 per cent of it in the first half - into goals.

They were neat, passing the ball around well, always looking for an opening and made sure it was the home side who were always chasing them and the game.

But their inability to find the back of the net - a big problem last season - loomed again.

The closest they came in the opening minutes might have been sweet justice for the FA Cup encounter when Ehiogu almost turned Neill's cross into his own net but his header shaved the crossbar.

But Rovers should have done it themselves. Striker Andy Cole almost broke his season's duck in the first half and must have relived that moment again and again after the final whistle.

Dunn's clever flick sent the former Manchester United man racing through but, while Boro were static and appealing for offside, his first time shot didn't hit the target.

And Dwight Yorke, while lively around the box, couldn't make an impact inside it, his former Aston Villa team-mates Gareth Southgate and Ehiogu making sure the Trinidad and Tobago international didn't have a sniff.

Southgate admitted in the build-up to the game: "They are two of the best strikers in the business and we will have our work cut out."

But Boro's defence did manage to do it, although to be fair Boro keeper Schwarzer was at his best.

Cole had another chance pushed away by the Riverside shot-stopper after a defence-splitting ball, a Duff drive was held by Schwarzer and Dunn's blistering free-kick must have stung the giant Aussie's fingers, but he held onto the ball.

While Rovers had the possession, some of the better chances fell to Boro who were always a threat on the break with Maccarone and Croatian Alen Boksic up front.

The Italian youngster is a big favourite of the Boro fans even after just three matches, scoring twice last week and making himself a handful on Saturday. He skipped over Johansson in the early stages of the game and fired in a shot, Friedel pulling off a one handed save before scrambling the ball into his arms.

Rovers' Swedish left-back lost out again as Maccarone broke but, although he set up Boksic 15 yards out, the Croatian slipped as he started to line up his shot - a relief for Rovers.

Boro did have a spell after the break where they forced a succession of corners and, on the hour, it looked a dead cert that Geremi, unmarked at the far post, was going to break the deadlock. However Friedel was once again in his way, pushing out his diving header.

Maccarone left the pitch with 10 minutes remaining to the boos of the home fans who wanted him to stay on and maybe Rovers might have preferred it if he had remained on the pitch.

It was end to end stuff then, Job curled an effort wide, Dunn warmed Schwarzer's hands, Friedel touched over a Geremi free-kick, while Duff's turn and shot was held by the Aussie.

Then, just after the official had signalled two minutes of injury-time, Johansson tried to chest Southgate's long swirling ball and it fell invitingly into the path of Geremi.

The Cameroon international, signed from Real Madrid, raced down the right wing and then provided the cross, and it was like slow motion as Job raced into the area ahead of Martin Taylor and it was easy for him to finish from eight yards out.

The Rovers players held their heads in their hands and dropped to the ground - but they know it should have been them smashing the ball home and grabbing the three points.