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They crafted their chances while Fulham attempted to capitalise on their aerial dominance

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They crafted their chances while Fulham attempted to capitalise on their aerial dominance. Danny Graham, 20, clipped a shot just beyond the near post while a Johnson free-kick was smartly turned away by Antti Niemi. Until then Fulham, despite their vastly more experienced team, had struggled. Coleman also conceded that "stalemate" had been reached in the contract talks with midfielder Steed Malbranque who, also, had one of his least effective games.The composure in the contest had come from the visitors. "I would have preferred him (McClaren) to have played his strongest team," the manager Chris Coleman said afterwards.

"When he has gone so heavily with the youngsters they play with a bit more freedom than we did."In the end they succumbed to a late penalty, calmly rolled in by Heidar Helguson after the substitute had been pushed over in desperation by David Wheater as he ran on to Philippe Christanval's searching long ball forward. Even so that meant sacrificing the opportunity of earning another £1m in prize money from finishing higher in the table.But, if anything, his line-up appeared to distract Fulham. This was Boro's sixth match in 14 days and although McClaren declared he had selected a team he thought could win, and a team which went on to produce a "heroic" performance, his eyes were on the bigger reward. And the veteran defender, now 39, came on for his first appearance of the season, and his last for Boro, with just five minutes to go.But there was pragmatism amid the sentiment.

McClaren said "four or five" of his youngsters from yesterday will be involved but it appears that only Lee Cattermole - at 18 the youngest player to ever captain Boro - has a chance of starting.The fiercely-competitive midfielder, who impressed along with James Morrison and the gifted winger Adam Johnson, beat a club record set in the 1980s by Colin Cooper. Next up for Boro it's Seville in the Uefa Cup final in Eindhoven on Wednesday. The exception was Malcolm Christie, the only player who also cost a fee. This home-grown squad was, McClaren said, the "dream" of chairman Steve Gibson and the two talked for half an hour on the team coach before disembarking. "What a legacy to leave for the next manager," said McClaren, after this unjust defeat which was his last domestic match in charge and which lifted Fulham up to 12th place in the league.

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