INJURED defender Craig Short believes the painful memories of Rovers' last-gasp defeat at Middlesbrough earlier in the season will inspire them to victory when the two sides meet again for the re-match at Ewood tomorrow.

Short admits he and his team-mates are still haunted by that 1-0 defeat at the Riverside in August when Joseph-Desire Job bagged a last minute winner for Boro.

So, as Rovers prepare to bring in the New Year, their determination to settle an old score could well provide the catalyst for a third home win in four outings as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham.

"We certainly owe them one because that was the most one-sided game I've ever been involved in up there," said Short, who's currently sidelined by hamstring trouble.

"All the lads were hurting after that because we'd battered them for 89 minutes.

"I know we sometimes score in the last minute at times ourselves but it was a game we really didn't deserve to lose and it was a daft goal to give away.

"They were certainly relieved and I remember Steve McClaren coming up to me on the final whistle and saying 'we didn't deserve to win that'.

"But no two games are alike. Just because we played so well up there doesn't mean the same will happen again tomorrow.

"Just look at the games against Celtic in the UEFA Cup, for instance.

"We dominated the first leg at their place then when they came to Ewood everyone expected us to turn them over just because we played so well up there.

"But you're never going to see the same performance from one game to the next which is why we have to be on our guard."

Some people questioned the wisdom of appointing McClaren as the successor to Bryan Robson when Boro made a spluttering start last season.

But once Sir Alex Ferguson's former assistant at Manchester United adjusted to the initial transition from coach to manager, he has since proved to be a more than capable boss in his own right, even to the point of being talked about as the next England manager in waiting.

Hailed as one of the game's forward thinkers, McClaren leaves nothing to chance on the training ground and his meticulous preparations have been one of the key factors behind Boro's recent revival.

However, the real keystone to their impressive form in the Premiership is the rock-like partnership between Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu at the back.

The former Aston Villa colleagues have been inspirational once again this term which is why Boro currently boast the second best defensive record in the league.

And Short, who also has first hand experience of working under McClaren during his time at Derby, admits he's a fully paid-up member of their fan club.

"I think it's going to be very difficult to play against Middlesbrough because their two centre halves are so good," said the veteran defender.

"They are both key players, so defensively they are very, very strong.

"Steve McClaren will also have them very well organised because I worked under him when he was a coach at Derby and he's well drilled.

"He gets his teams very fit and I think a lot of people underestimate his coaching abilities.

"But if we do win then that would make it eight points from four games."