Points shared at the Riverside

Darren Bent put the visitors ahead against the run of play after 35 minutes with a low shot from 15 yards.

But Young ensured both sides search for a league victory continued with a long range piledriver in the 52nd minute.

Ramos made the surprise decision to opt for recent bench-dwellers Jermain Defoe and Bent in attack, while Kevin-Prince Boateng was given a first league start in midfield at Didier Zokora's expense as Spurs went in search of only a second league win.

Southgate, whose side are seven games without a win, was forced into one change after Jonathan Woodgate was ruled out with a leg injury, so Chris Riggott deputised. As expected, former Spurs striker Mido was not included in the 16-man squad.

Ironically, Spurs' last victory over a top flight side came against Boro in the Carling Cup in September, but it was the the home side who made the more purposeful start.

Two points lost or one point gained? The Middlesbrough fans certainly felt it was more of the former as they booed their side off the field at the Riverside but, once the dust settles, this might eventually be viewed as a decent result.

A point certainly looked unlikely at half-time, with the Teessiders trailing to Darren Bent's first Premier League goal for Tottenham and having failed to force Paul Robinson into a single save of note.

But with the impressive Gary O'Neil forcing them forward at every opportunity, Gareth Southgate's side rallied considerably after the break.

Luke Young's 25-yard thunderbolt eventually earned them a draw, the full-back scoring his first Boro goal against the side that developed him as a teenager, and Young's tenacious second-half display epitomised the fighting qualities that the Teessiders will need to display in every match between now and the end of the season.

O'Neil was tenacity personified at the heart of midfield, and Jeremie Aliadiere's movement caused problems before he was withdrawn in the latter stages.

There were negatives to consider as well - Chris Riggott, playing in place of the injured Jonathan Woodgate, failed to close down Bent as Spurs' £16m man broke the deadlock, and Stewart Downing appeared strangely subdued for most of the 90 minutes.

But this was a definite step up from most of last month's performances, even if the boos at the final whistle suggested different.

Southgate's side almost took the lead in controversial circumstances just four minutes in when Stewart Downing was inches away from meeting stand-in skipper Gary ONeil's cross-shot from the right flank.

Ramos was quickly out of the dugout to give Young-Pyo Lee and Younes Kaboul a piece of his mind after the pair were caught napping, still complaining the ball had gone out of touch.

The last time the Spaniard faced Boro was in the 2006 UEFA Cup final, where he led Sevilla to a 4-0 victory in what was Southgate's final game as a player.

But on the first half hours showing, a repeat rarely looked on the cards. A neat piece of interplay orchestrated by Steed Malbranque offered cause for optimism but he opted to cross for Bent when perhaps better positioned to shoot.

Slowly, Spurs grew in confidence and they soon had the left winger to thank for creating their opener.

The Frenchman dispossessed Young and slotted in Bent down the left and the England international checked inside Riggott before rifling a low shot inside Mark Schwarzer's left post. It could have been two for Spurs a minute before half-time when Bent got on the end of Defoes cross but the ball trickled agonisingly wide of the far post.

The second half began at the same frenetic pace and the Teessiders were lucky to escape when Lennon's low cross deflected off Andrew Taylor and narrowly missed the lurking Defoe.

But the home side came straight back at them and only an excellent save from Paul Robinson in the 49th minute denied Jeremie Aliadiere from Fabio Rochemback's inswinging free-kick. The England goalkeeper had no chance in the 52nd minute though when Young atoned for his earlier error, smashing a Spurs clearance into the top-right corner from 25 yards to level the scores.

In the 58th minute Ramos brought on Keane for Defoe and Berbatov for Bent in a bid to revive his sides fortunes and soon after Zokora came on for Boateng but Boro continued to dominate.

There were claims for a penalty when Aliadiere's cross appeared to hit Lee's hand but referee Mike Dean waved them away. One superb through ball from O'Neil almost sent Aliadiere clear but Kaboul and Michael Dawson combined to clear the danger.

Keane may have scored seven times in his last seven outings but the Republic of Ireland international was unusually clumsy in possession.

And fellow substitute Berbatov had the chance to show his new manager what he is capable of when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area, but disappointingly, the Bulgarian fired over.

The energetic Jermaine Jenas took advantage of the home sides tiring legs as he ran free down the right but there was no one on hand to capitalise on his low ball across the face of goal.

Riggott could count himself fortunate moments later when Lennon's fierce shot cannoned off him only to land the other side of right post with Schwarzer beaten.

It was end to end in the closing stages but neither side could make the crucial breakthrough, leaving both still stranded near the bottom of the table.

Watch the match highlights from Monday, November 5