Like an actor's understudy Shaun Goater got the chance he had been waiting for on Saturday when Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan finally lost patience with the shot-shy duo of Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler.

Goater and fellow forgotten man Jon Macken replaced the big money pair part way through the second-half of City's Premiership clash with Middlesbrough at Maine Road.

Although neither Goater nor Macken could break the deadlock, the match finishing goalless, they did, according to reports, prove more effective than their illustrious team-mates.

In fact, they received the biggest cheer of the day as they strode onto the pitch after 64 minutes.

Both made an immediate impact on the game, combining well with Ali Bernarbia to set up Joey Barton for a low, hard drive from 25 yards.

They continued to provide the lift that City needed, running the channels well, Macken sitting deep and Goater holding the ball up well and penetrating the `Boro backline. The only thing they could not come up with was a goal.

"I have the right to change things if they are not working,'' said boss Keegan afterwards of his decision to haul off Anelka and Fowler. "I do not question their effort but I am looking for one of them to create something out of nothing.

"I still believe in them but it is difficult to make a case for them. I gave it the best part of an hour. They are both quiet lads but very different to each other, which I believe is one of the keys to a good partnership.

"In the end I brought Shaun Goater and Jon Macken on and they gave us a foothold in the game."

Despite rumours to the contrary, Keegan insisted that Anelka and Fowler were not necessarily automatic choices for the two starting berths, saying the likes of Goater and Macken still figured in his plans.

"Nothing is set in stone here. Fowler and Anelka does excite me and even though it hasn't produced the goals, it still excites me. I believe in them," he said."But Jon is there, so is Shaun, and the door is open for them. They have got to force their way through it, though. These are top-class players you are talking about."

Kyle Lightbourne powered home a bullet header for his 13th goal of the season as Macclesfield carved out a 2-2 draw with Torquay in the English Third Division on Saturday.

The Bermudian striker's goal put the Silkmen 2-1 up at Plainmoor but they could not hang onto the lead and conceded an equaliser in the 61st minute to Martin Gritton.

Earlier, Torquay's Jo Kuffour had opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Macclesfield equalised within five minutes through John Miles.

In the 41st minute Torquay won a controversial penalty which was taken by Alex Russell and brilliantly saved by Macclesfield `keeper Steve Wilson diving low to his right

Lightbourne then scored from a corner before his side's celebrations were cut short by the leveller.