Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing says fans had every right to boo the players after their defeat to Stoke City.

"The fans were angry and they have every right to be," said midfielder Downing after the side's seventh consecutive away defeat without scoring.

"But we need them behind us. It's a lot to ask but we need it. I know some people are writing us off. However, we still feel we just need a little run. Portsmouth have shown it can be done.

"There's not much the manager can say really because we played decently and we had coped with their throw-ins and set pieces right up to the end and then we fell asleep.

"Our main problem is we're missing chances and then getting hit late on. That's been the story of our season really and it's costing us. We still have home games that are winnable but we have to start pretty quickly. We have to throw everything at it and there's nowhere to hide."