Twenty-four hours before his coronation as England coach, Steve McClaren watched the youngsters he will leave behind prove Middlesbrough's future remains rosy without him as they earned a 1-1 draw at Bolton.

Although the Teessiders' youthful side were unable to hold onto the lead given them by teenager Adam Johnson's first goal for the club two minutes after the restart, the manner in which they resisted Bolton's virtually relentless assault suggested the kids are made of stern stuff.

It was a painful evening for Sam Allardyce, the man McClaren has edged out of the England reckoning. The Bolton boss watched his side squander a series of chances before Johnson scored and after Ricardo Vaz Te had levelled, leaving his hopes of taking the Trotters into Europe for a second successive season hanging by a thread.