Middlesbrough 0, Portsmouth 4.

IT may have been prudent for Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate that Jonathan Woodgate was not at the Riverside Stadium last night.

If he was he would have witnessed a dire performance that confirmed last season's problems of inconsistency are still very much in evidence.

Five days after beating the Premier League champions 2-1, Boro were brought crashing down to earth by a Portsmouth side that had too much movement and invention for the Teessiders.

A first half goal by Kanu was followed a first of the season for fellow striker Benjani after the break before Kanu grabbed a second in the 57th minute and Svetoslav Todorov rounded things off with a fourth in injury time.

The third goal summed up Boro's shambolic defending as Kanu simply span past four players and ran from the halfway line to the edge of the area before finishing with ease.

The defence were rudderless and the need for a centre-back clear to see. Southgate must only hope that Woodgate's visit to their Hurworth training ground yesterday is the first of many.

The only plus point was Stewart Downing's quality and Boro fans must pray the club remain determined to keep the England player on Teesside.

It was such a far cry from the euphoria of the win over Chelsea and Southgate may rue his decision to tinker with his formation.

Fabio Rochemback's reward for being part of the side which beat Chelsea was to be dropped to the bench, Southgate opting for a more adventurous 4-4-2 with Mark Viduka coming in alongside Yakubu. Lee Cattermole also started with Andrew Davies making way.

Portsmouth began brightly and in the sixth minute a foul by Chris Riggott on Matt Taylor gave Pompey a free-kick opportunity 25 yards out. Dejan Stefanovic's left-footed effort was curling into Schwarzer's top right hand corner before the Aussie clawed it away for a corner.

Boro's defence must have had their minds still on the save because straight from David Thompson's corner Harry Redknapp's side took the lead - Kanu pouncing on Benjani's flick to steer home under Schwarzer's body from six yards.

Schwarzer must have envisaged a better way of celebrating his 300th league appearance for the club. By the end of the night any celebration had turned into a nightmare.

Quite what the Teessiders' rearguard were doing to allow the Portsmouth front pair so much space in the box must have perplexed Southgate as much as it did the home fans.

The response, however, was just what the Boro boss would have wanted and only a last-ditch challenge from Noe Pamarot prevented Stewart Downing levelling when he was released in the box by Yakubu's through ball.

Boro must have forgotten all about the free-kick abilities of their visitors because ten minutes after Stefanovic tested Schwarzer they gave away another 30 yards from goal.

Stefanovic left this one for Thompson but the effort was straight at Schwarzer.

The home side were struggling to exert any prolonged periods of pressure on the Pompey goal with all their best work coming down the left through Downing.

On the other flank Gaizka Mendieta was largely anonymous for the opening half hour - the Spaniard's best effort came when he cut inside and fired over David James' crossbar.

Southgate's desire to add a right-sided player to his squad is understandable and the better football continued to come from Portsmouth, with Thompson and Kanu both impressing.

The former Liverpool, Blackburn and Wigan wideman headed wide from a Taylor free-kick, and then Gary O'Neil combined with the Nigerian who let fly from the edge of the area forcing Schwarzer to palm his effort for a corner.

A speculative free-kick from Mendieta from 30-yards caught James out but drifted wide of the target as Boro ended the half as they'd begun it - struggling to break down a defence marshalled well by Sol Campbell and Linvoy Primus.

New Sunderland manager Roy Keane had made the short journey from Wearside and at half-time it appeared difficult to pick any Boro players worth making the 50-mile round trip to watch.

Southgate must have thought it couldn't get much worse but five minutes after the re-start his side were two down.

The hope had been provided with an early header over by Viduka from Downing's cross but soon after Boro failed to clear Taylor's corner and when it came out to Thompson he delivered a great ball to the back post and Benjani headed down past Schwarzer.

As in the first half the Teessiders did hit back with Mendieta volleying just over and then Downing's quick free kick forcing James to tip over.

The resulting corner was delivered expertly by Downing to the head of Riggott ten yards out but James was equal to the effort turning the ball past the post.

All out attack is always a dangerous game to play and Boro paid dearly in the 57th minute.

Kanu turned Emanuel Pogatetz all too easily near the halfway line and with the Teessiders' defensive line pushing up he found himself bearing down on Schwarzer's goal with the Boro players trailing in his wake.

George Boateng got closest but appeared loathe to bring him down and risk a red card and, as he reached the edge of the Boro box, he simply lifted the ball over the on-rushing Schwarzer.

The Boro fans' anger was slightly relieved by the witch and chicken pitch invasion, as Southgate and coach Steve Round pondered just what to do in a bid to at least restore some pride.

A triple substitution came but there was no change in the home side's fortunes and it was Pompey substitute Todorov who rounded off the scoring with a fourth lifted over Schwarer in injury time.