FOLLOWING the depressing manner of Middlesbrough's last Premiership outing, perhaps a point against West Ham United should be welcomed.

At West Bromwich Albion seven days' earlier Boro were woeful and how they responded was always going to be an indicator of what lie ahead.

And, simply, on Saturday at the Riverside - a place where they have yet to lose this season - it looked as if their confidence had been shattered after the Hawthorns horror show.

But Boro, after a poor first half, showed their character by coming from behind twice to snatch a point from the League's bottom club.

Ugo Ehiogu, the scorer of Boro's second goal two minutes from time, was one of those who was keen to put the West Brom woe to the back of his mind.

When Boxing Day comes around, Boro - tipped for Europe in some quarters - could have slipped into the bottom half of the table.

And when you consider the Teessiders' next three fixtures, they are going to have their work cut out in making sure they do not slip further down the table.

Boro face all of the top three - Chelsea at home, Arsenal away and Manchester United at home - over the next few weeks and Ehiogu knows they face a tough task.

But the ex-Aston Villa man believes the point made against West Ham has helped the squad overcome the nightmares of West Brom.

"West Ham gave us a really tough game, but what this was about was West Brom - that really rocked us a lot," he said.

"The manner of the defeat against West Brom was hurtful. A lot of the players under performed and the next game was so important.

"The fans don't realise how much that defeat at West Brom hurt us in the dressing room. We had to make sure we didn't lose, that was the biggest thing.

"In the end to get a draw was really vital to us, especially with the three games coming up.

"I also felt my own game last week was very poor and I needed to perform better. So the goal could not have come at a better time, I've got three now."

West Ham maybe propping up the rest of the top-flight, but on this performance the Hammers should soon have something to be happy about.

Under-pressure boss Glenn Roeder, a former Newcastle defender, left the North-East on Saturday wondering how his side failed to take all three points.

In the first half West Ham caused all sorts of problems for the hosts, whose goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had to make a string of stops.

With just two minutes on the clock, Boro defender Franck Queudrue - back from suspension - cleared off the line from Edouard Cisse's header.

And later Schwarzer made s superb save from a long range effort from Cisse - who has spent time training with Boro.

Boro did conjure up a couple of chances. But misfiring Massimo Maccarone shot off target and David James saved from Geremi.

But all in all West Ham midfielders Joe Cole and Michael Carrick showed touches of class to suggest the visitors were going to take the lead. And Ehiogu admitted Boro were allowing that pair too much time on the ball.

"We gave West Ham too much space and we allowed them to dictate for too long," he said. "When you give any midfielder space - nevermind midfielders of the quality of Carrick and Cole - they are going to hurt you.

"With the players they have got they have every hope of staving off relegation."

Joseph-Desire Job's head injury meant Steve McClaren had to change his formation and he switched to three at the back, with Tony Vidmar slotting in alongside Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate.

But after the restart the Boro boss brought on Szilard Nemeth, as McClaren switched back to the 4-3-1-2 formation which has proved so successful this season.

However, within seconds, captain Cole broke away and fired a low right foot shot into Schwarzer's bottom right hand corner to put his side in front.

Nemeth then brought the scores level when he played a neat one-two with Boksic and the Solvakian's low shot went in off the foot of the post.

Maccarone's free header from a Boksic cross flew wide and Boro were punished on 77 minutes when West Ham regained the lead.

Centre-back Ian Pearce - up front because of a striker crisis at Upton Park - rifled his shot past Schwarzer after some good work by Carrick and Jermain Defoe.

But with time running out, Ehiogu popped up in the box to head in Geremi's corner with two minutes left.

West Ham have never won at the Riverside and that late goal means the Londoners will now have to wait until next season to reverse the trend - provided they are still in the Premiership that is.