Yeates netted 20 goals in 72 games for former club Colchester United

Middlesbrough winger Mark Yeates has spoken of his relief at opening his goal account for the club in Sunday's 5-1 win against Queens Park Rangers.

Yeates, 24, had played 14 matches without scoring since his summer move from League One side Colchester.

"It's been nice to get the goal out of the way," Yeates told BBC Tees.

"It had probably been a burden on my shoulders. After getting off to a good start I've been in and out of the team so it was nice to score."

The Republic of Ireland B international had scored 20 goals in 72 appearances at Colchester following a move from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2007.

Saturday's victory was Boro's first win in five matches, with two defeats in that run dropping the club as low as 10th.

And Yeates admitted the pressure is on Gordon Strachan's side to use the victory as a platform in their bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

"Over the Christmas period the games come thick and fast so hopefully I can have a few more good performances and goals over that time," he said.

"But we really have to go on a run now and prove we are a side to be afraid of. We let ourselves down earlier in the season and we need to put that right.

"We never let our heads drop and we always believed we would be up there.

"We're a good side and we're all pushing for the one thing, and that's to get back up."

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