Boateng sent off to cap boss's bleak day

IT was not the best of days for Gareth Southgate. After being accused of being naive by Sir Alex Ferguson, he then witnessed his fifth away defeat as Middlesbrough manager.

To make matters worse, with time running out skipper George Boateng was sent off following a clash with Didier Zokora on the far side of the Tottenham turf and will miss the next three games through suspension.

The unsavoury incident, which led to almost every player on the pitch congregating in one small area of White Hart Lane, summed up a forgettable night for rookie boss Southgate.

Ferguson's accusations of naivety rang a little true when the former England defender came to realise substitutions do not always work out for the better.

With Tottenham enjoying the better of the opening half, Middlesbrough could take heart from the fact that defensively they had been solid, with goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer forced into only a couple of testing saves.

Southgate, however, withdrew his second striker, Malcolm Christie, and the competent wing-back Andrew Taylor in favour of starting with one forward and was made to pay within three minutes of the restart after half-time.

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov crashed in a stunning volley on the turn.

The introduction of Mark Viduka did work for the better and Robert Huth's strike ten minutes from time looked to have denied Tottenham a win.

But Middlesbrough's search for a first win on their travels this season goes on after Robbie Keane, Spurs' very own super sub last night, struck the winner inside Schwarzer's near post.

This, though, is likely to be remembered for the confrontation between Boateng and Zokora.

The only time Boro have won in six top-flight visits to Spurs was in September 2002, when Massimo Maccarone was one of the scorers in a 3-0 win. The Italian's chances of a repeat, however, ended when he was left behind on Teesside to accommodate Viduka.

Southgate resisted the temptation to field Viduka from the start but he was on the bench for the first time since breaking a toe in the win over Newcastle on October 22.

This, though, was not about the absence of Maccarone and more about what a strikeforce of Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Christie could conjure up in their third consecutive start alongside one another.

After South Korean full-back Lee Young-Pyo had shot wide from distance early on, the attacking pair were involved in Middlesbrough's first effort on goal.

Wing-back Taylor's good feet on the left allowed him to turn inside and feed Christie. The former Derby man, making his 150th league career appearance, moved possession on to Yakubu, who shot wide from the edge of the box.

That was Boro's only shot in the opening half hour as Tottenham's persistence created a number of openings.

Southgate's first chance to field the same starting XI in successive matches led to a display that suggested defensively they were familiar with one another.

Jonathan Woodgate, Huth and Emanuel Pogatetz all made crucial blocks while Tottenham had to make do with the lively Jermain Defoe's wayward shooting, although he did force Schwarzer into a stretched save midway through the first half.

As half-time neared Middlesbrough forced two successive corners and from the second Pogatetz headed a yard wide from Stewart Downing's delivery.

But had Schwarzer not made an exceptional flying save to palm over Tom Huddlestone's long range drive, Tottenham would have been ahead at the interval.

It was in fact the first time in 45 outings Middlesbrough had started with the same side in consecutive matches, but Southgate strangely opted to try to tighten things up at the interval, a decision that backfired.

Off went Christie and Taylor, on came Morrison and Arca. Less than three minutes later Tottenham's big break arrived.

Huddlestone's free-kick to the back post was headed into the danger area by Pascal Chimbonda, who had worked free of Arca, and Berbatov volleyed high into Schwarzer's far corner for his seventh goal since joining in the summer.

It should have been two moments later but Woodgate and Schwarzer doubled up to thwart Defoe as he charged clear on goal. Chimdonda also missed a glorious chance, side-footing wide when he was unmarked to meet winger Aaron Lennon's free-kick.

Southgate immediately threw on a second forward in Viduka for Lee Cattermole. Morrison's grass-cutter flew inches wide but Tottenham still created the better openings.

The best fell to Defoe, after some clever footwork by Berbatov on the edge of the area, but the England forward was denied by the feet of Schwarzer. The keeper repeated the heroics shortly after, this time with his hands.

Boro's determination was rewarded when Huth, who had seen his first effort from Downing's corner cleared off the line, cracked in an unlikely equaliser.

But Keane, on as a third striker, drove the winner into Schwarzer's near post just moments after coming on.