DERBY hero Robert Huth is hoping the arrival of hotshot Afonso Alves will ease some of the pressure on the rest of the team in front of goal.

The German international did a David Wheater at St James' Park by coming up and sending a looping header over Shay Given to claw Boro back into the game.

And while both he and his fellow centre-back love getting among the goals, he's more than happy to welcome a specialist to the squad.

"We're creating chances so hopefully with Afonso coming here he's going to put a few balls in the net and it will make it a bit easier for us," he said.

Huth thoroughly enjoyed the trip up the A19 and felt Boro deserved to win.

"It was a good game to play in because I haven't played in a derby like that," he said. "I'm a bit disappointed we didn't win but I will take a draw."

At first he didn't realise his 87th-minute leveller from Julio Arca's floated cross had gone in - but the reaction from his team-mates soon told him it had!

"I thought it had gone over then someone, I don't know who, started shouting and screaming so I thought it must be a goal," he smiled.

However, he was disappointed Boro didn't convert more of the chances they made and he believes Alves could make a huge difference.

"It was a clever move by them for their goal, so well done, but we had chances before that and we didn't take them.

"It seems to be the case sometimes that we create lots of chances and don't score, then we concede one. But in the last six or seven weeks we have done fantastically well."

Huth was delighted with the way the team responded after going behind - and the backing they received from the 3,000-strong travelling army.

"We conceded from a dodgy free-kick but I thought the lads were magnificent to come back and draw the game.

"When you've got supporters who turn up like that, they deserve something.

"They put them up in the stands where you can't hear or see them, but you could still hear our fans singing away.

"The feeling in the dressing room is that we should have won and I think they were lucky to nick a goal in the circumstances they did.

"But we've got a good game next week against Fulham which we have to win."

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