Toothless Middlesbrough extended their depressing run to eight Premiership
games without victory in a drab goalless draw with Tottenham.
Without first-choice strikers Brian Deane and Hamilton Ricard in the starting
11, Bryan Robson's side lacked any real incision.
And Ian Walker's only uncomfortable moment came three minutes from time when
Paul Gascoigne's shot deflected off Sol Campbell and almost crept inside his
left post.
Spurs created the better chances, although they too were rare, Steve Vickers
clearing Mauricio Taricco's shot off the line with just three minutes gone and
keeper Mark Schwarzer needing the help of a post to keep out Ramon Vega's header
right on half-time.
Boro at least managed to keep a clean sheet, something of a collector's item
in recent times, but there was little else to cheer.
Robson handed winger Alan Moore just his fourth start of the season as he went
in search of an elusive league victory in the face of a crippling injury
crisis.
Opposite number George Graham made just two changes to the side which clinched
a place in the Worthington Cup Final at Wimbledon in midweek, Tim Sherwood
making his first start for the club in place of Allan Nielsen and Taricco coming
in for Justin Edinburgh.
If a dressing room dressing down at Everton following their midweek
humiliation was supposed to spark Boro into life, Robson's words appeared to
have fallen on deaf ears before the break.
True, they managed to go in a half-time all-square, but they did so by the
skin of their teeth.
Steffen Iversen's clever back-heel put full-back Taricco in on goal with
barely three minutes gone, but although he beat Schwarzer, Vickers slid in just
in the nick of time to hack the ball clear.
Campbell and defensive partner Ramon Vega were enjoying a quiet afternoon as
Mikkel Beck and Moore struggled to make an impression, but Boro's makeshift
forward line was not helped by a paucity of service which too often left them
chasing lost causes.
With the visitors closing down the midfield through Sherwood ad Steffen
Freund, Gascoigne, Andy Townsend and Robbie Mustoe were unable to build up any
momentum, and it was left to their defenders to try to start the ball rolling
from deep.
Gascoigne, yesterday handed an England lifeline by Kevin Keegan, guaranteed
himself at least one trip to Lancaster Gate when his untidy challenge of Stephen
Carr cost him his 11th booking of the season and a third disciplinary ban.
And as Boro toiled in vain, it was Spurs who grew in confidence.
Les Ferdinand had a 42nd-minute strike ruled out for offside before Schwarzer
dived low to his right post to keep out Vega's header from a Darren Anderton
free-kick on the stroke of the whistle.
Chris Armstrong replaced Ferdinand at half-time, and received the rudest of
welcomes when Townsend thumped into him to earn himself a yellow card.
Colin Cooper followed suit a minute later by tugging Armstrong's shirt as he
broke away, picking up his fifth caution of the season.
Robson's half-time team talk appeared to have slightly more of an effect than
his preparatory remarks, and with Spurs releasing their stranglehold in midfield
in the hunt for all three points, the home side moved up a gear.
Wing-back Robbie Stockdale sent Walker scurrying backwards across his line
with a dangerous cross on 58 minutes in one of only a handful of anxious moments
for the visitors' keeper.
But it was Schwarzer who had to get down well to keep out Iversen's snapshot
from distance six minutes later.
Moore and Beck made way for Hamilton Ricard and Andy Campbell as the half wore
on, and although that seemed to give their side a better shape, Tottenham
remained rock solid at the back.
At the other end, Armstrong put a header into the side-netting from Ginola's
deep 76th-minute cross as a draw looked increasingly on the cards.
A rare mistake from Sol Campbell allowed his namesake a chance to push towards
the penalty area with eight minutes remaining, but Vega was on hand to rescue
his skipper.
Gascoigne almost stole it at the end with a powerful run which ended when his
shot came off Campbell and span agonisingly wide of the post.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Vickers, Cooper, Pallister,
Gordon, Mustoe, Gascoigne, Townsend, Moore (Ricard 58),Beck (Campbell 75).
Subs Not Used: Beresford, Maddison, Kinder.
Booked: Gascoigne, Townsend, Cooper, Stockdale.
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Campbell, Vega, Taricco, Anderton,
Sherwood, Ginola, Freund, Ferdinand (Armstrong 46), Iversen.
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Nielsen, Sinton, Young.
Booked: Vega, Carr, Iversen.
Att: 34,687
Ref: R Harris (Oxford).
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