Tottenham Hotspur 2 Middlesbrough 1

SPURS' contrasting form at home and away continued tonight as Boro lost again and had George Boateng sent-off, writes GORDON COX from White Hart Lane.

Boro were unchanged for the first time since February 4 - 45 matches ago - as Mark Viduka returned from six weeks out with two broken toes to take his place on the bench.

Martin Jol made three changes from the side that lost at Arsenal on Saturday.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Robbie Keane and Teemu Tainio were left out, though the latter two were on the bench. In came Young-Pyo Lee, Tom Huddlestone and Jermain Defoe.

As expected the home side made a bright start, attacking with pace and movement. But Boro were well-organised and protected Mark Schwarzer comfortably, restricting Spurs to efforts from outside the penalty area.

Aaron Lennon was a lively threat and set up Defoe with a chance after eight minutes but that effort was quickly charged down, while Huddlestone's low drive from 25 yards was straight at Schwarzer.

Boro broke quickly, Stewart Downing setting up Andrew Taylor, who in turn fed Yakubu. His shot from just inside the penalty area clearly took a deflection before going wide but Boro were denied a corner with an incorrect decision from referee Mark Halsey.

The first shot on target came after 18 minutes when Dimitar Berbatov turned Emanuel Pogatetz and fed Defoe, whose powerful effort from 16 yards was palmed away by Schwarzer.

A powerful run through the centre by Didier Zokora threatened to cause problems after he got the better of George Boateng but his progress was blocked on the edge of the Boro box.

It took a sliding block from Yakubu just up from the edge of the Boro penalty area to prevent Zokora from having a shot on target but Boro were becoming more of a threat going forward, Downing in particular causing problems.

With just over half an hour played Boro had justifiable claims for a penalty dismissed when Pascal Chimbonda appeared to be holding Pogatetz, thereby preventing him heading the ball.

A 40-yard crossfield ball from Boateng found Downing level with the right-hand edge of the Spurs penalty area and his low cross brought a corner but no further reward.

Boro's back three were outstanding throughout the first half, blocking, tackling and organising, so Huddlestone decided to bypass them all and brought a flying, one-handed tip over from Schwarzer with a thunderous drive despatched a few yards up from the right-hand edge of the Boro box.

Half-time: Tottenham Hotspur 0 Middlesbrough 0

Gareth Southgate made two tactical changes at half-time with Julio Arca replacing Taylor, who hadn't done much wrong, and James Morrison sent on for Malcolm Christie, who hadn't got into the game as much as he would have liked.

But the opening goal came at the other end of the pitch with two minutes and 20 seconds of the second half played as a free-kick from the right was worked into Boro's penalty area and cleverly turned in by Dimitar Berbatov eight yards out with his back to goal for his third goal in his last four games.

A cleverly worked free-kick presented Chimbonda with a clear chance to make it two when he stole in unmarked to the left-hand edge of the six-yard box but hit the side-netting with a low drive.

Viduka entered the fray 12 minutes into the second half, replacing Lee Cattermole, who had been out of sorts all evening.

It took Boro a while to get going in the second half but they almost drew level with two efforts inside a minute when Paul Robinson could only parry a thunderously-struck free-kick from Huth and Spurs scrambled clear. Then Abel Xavier squared to Morrison, who shot wide from 16 yards.

Tottenham, though, were the more creative and twice Schwarzer had to spread himself to deny Defoe.

But Boro smashed their way back into it with an equaliser 11 minutes from time.

Tottenham failed to deal with a Downing corner and Huth's close-range effort was cleared off the line. Pogatetz played the ball back in and Robert Huth turned to shoot home through a crowd of bodies from seven yards.

But for the third match running Boro conceded soon after scoring.

With 83 minutes played Robbie Keane was given too much room on the edge of the Boro box and had a go with a powerful drive. Schwarzer ought to have prevented it flying in between himself and his left post.

It got worse for Boro in the closing stages with three yellow cards issued but of much more significance was a red card show to George Boateng, which rules him out of the game against Wigan in Saturday - Boro are already without Cattermole through suspension for that game.

With four minutes remaining tonight Boateng, who was disappointed not to have picked up Keane for Tottenham's second, twice caught Lennon and appeared to react angrily when confronted. Zokora reacted by almost flooring the Boro skipper who in turn responded. Players from both sides raced over, order was soon restored and a red card shown to each of the pugilists.

Both Pogatetz and Huth were shown yellow cards in a frantic, bad-tempered close to the game.

Tottenham Hotspur: Robinson; Chimbonda, Dawson, King (Capt), Lee, Lennon, Zokora, Huddlestone, Malbranque (Keane 80 (Murphy 90)), Defoe (Tainio 87), Berbatov. Unused subs: Cerny (gk); Stalteri.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer; Huth, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Xavier, Cattermole (Viduka 57), Boateng (Capt) Downing, Taylor (Arca 46), Christie (Morrison 46), Yakubu. Unused subs: Jones (gk); Parnaby.

Referee: Mark Halsey, Lancashire.

Sent-off: Boateng, 86, foul; Zokora, 86, retaliation.

Bookings

Tottenham Hotspur: None

Middlesbrough: Arca, 82, foul; Pogatetz, 90, foul; Huth, 90, foul.

Attendance: 34,154

Conditions: Cool and still.

Website Boro Man of the Match: Robert Huth