Middlesbrough's vital Premiership clash with Charlton ended in stalemate as both sides failed to make the most of what few chances there were.

Charlton started both halves strongly and Shaun Bartlett and Jonatan Johansson wasted good chances.

But while Alen Boksic worked his socks off for the Teessiders, neither keeper found himself under any great pressure throughout.

However, Boro's Mark Schwarzer almost handed victory to the visitors eight minutes from time when he fumbled a Radostin Kishishev cross just wide of his own goal.

And opposite number Sasa Ilic blocked an 87th-minute Boksic shot with his legs and then saw defender Richard Rufus bravely throw himself into the path of a Paul Ince piledriver.

Middlesbrough made two changes to the side beaten 1-0 at home by Southampton last weekend as Jason Gavin replaced the suspended Ugo Ehiogu in central defence and Dean Gordon came in for midfielder Robbie Mustoe.

Charlton's newly-capped England international Chris Powell recovered from a calf problem to take his place, but Steve Brown took over from Andy Todd at the back, Scott Parker returned from suspension to oust Mark Kinsella, and Bartlett got the nod up front with Mathias Svensson banned.

Having lost their unbeaten Premiership record under Terry Venables, Boro were desperate to return to winning ways, but they showed little sign of doing so in the early stages as the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck.

The Londoners could have been in front with less than two minutes on the clock when Johansson fed Kishishev wide on the right and then powered his way into the penalty area to get his head on the Bulgarian's cross, only to direct his effort wide.

Charlton took control in the middle of the field, where Graham Stuart, Claus Jensen and youngster Scott Parker caused endless problems for the home side, and the movement of Johansson and Bartlett up front was a constant threat.

By contrast, the nerves which plagued Boro in the weeks before Venables arrived at the club seemed to return, and with the notable exception of Ince and Boksic, they were too often chasing shadows.

However, clear-cut chances were few and far between at either end before the break, Bartlett testing Schwarzer with a well-struck effort and Parker chancing his arm with a delicate chip.

Boksic finally started to find his feet as the half wore on and gave his side a cutting edge, wing-back Gordon completing mis-hitting his shot after been set up by the Croatian and Ince sending a header high over from a Boksic cross.

The former Lazio frontman blazed a 42nd-minute free-kick over the bar and had a late effort kicked off the line by Mark Fish, but the home side left the field knowing that they had to produce much, much more if they were to claim all three points.

If anything, Charlton started the second half even better than they had the first as Bartlett looped a shot over the bar from Johansson's cross and Stuart charged 60 yards before shooting straight at Schwarzer.

Johansson's 55th-minute cross was just too strong for Bartlett at the far post, and the Finn tested the Boro keeper with a well-struck drive.

But with Ince and Boksic again taking up the baton, the home side started to take over and force the pace.

Substitute Noel Whelan lifted a pass over the Charlton defence to put Christian Karembeu in on goal, but as keeper Ilic started to come and then stopped, Rufus did enough to get in the way and snuff out the chance.

Boksic put the keeper under pressure with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box on 75 minutes, and the home crowd began to sense renewed hope.

The Croatian turned provider 10 minutes from time to cross to the far post, but Karembeu only succeeded in dropping the ball off for Kishishev as he tried to set up the fast-arriving support.

Schwarzer had a huge let-off two minutes later when he fumbled Kishishev's cross under no pressure at all, but saw the ball run wide of the post for a corner.

But in a whirlwind finish, Ilic kicked away Boksic's 87th-minute shot and Ince saw a fiercely-struck drive crash into Rufus and away.

Teams:

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Gordon (Mustoe 76), Fleming, Vickers, Gavin, Festa, Karembeu, Ince, Okon (Hudson 66), Boksic, Ricard (Whelan 66).

Subs Not Used: Deane, Crossley.

Booked: Ricard.

Charlton: Ilic, Brown, Rufus, Powell, Fish, Kishishev (Robinson 84), Parker, Jensen (Kinsella 90), Johansson, Stuart, Bartlett (Lisbie 90).

Subs Not Used: Konchesky, Caig.

Booked: Kishishev.

Att: 28,177

Ref: M Dean (The Wirral).