Tal rescues Everton against Boro

Gary Naysmith hit Everton's first equaliser

Everton 2-2 Middlesbrough

Idan Tal's first goal for Everton rescued a priceless point after they had twice trailed to rejuvenated Middlesbrough.

Everton had fallen behind to goals from Hamilton Ricard and Colin Cooper, but fought back when first Gary Naysmith equalised and then substitute Tal did the same 11 minutes from time.

Everton, beaten 3-0 in the FA Cup by First Division Tranmere at the weekend, had Duncan Ferguson and Kevin Campbell up front together for the first time and started with some of the passion they were accused of not showing on Saturday.

Ferguson's power and strength was to the fore, while Thomas Gravesen drove forward from midfield and had one 25-yarder that flew wide.

We were unfortunate not to win, it would have been certainly unfair to have lost. But the attitude of the players was first class, just like it has been all season.

  Walter Smith

But they found themselves trailing when their defence failed to compete in the air, alowing Ricard to nod home on the line after Alen Boksic had headed on Christian Karembeu's cross.

Everton's response was to launch everything at the massive frame of Ferguson and his combative approach caused problems in the heart of Boro's defence.

Ferguson's style meant the game became increasingly physical, and with the match being played at such a pace there were a string of clashes and collisions.

Referee Graham Barber had to deal with several incidents, including a couple of penalty appeals when Naysmith and then Ferguson were sent crashing.

Colin Cooper bagged Boro's second

At the other end, Ince unleashed a power drive from just outside the box which was charged down by Campbell.

Everton were rarely getting through, but Boro's attacks - when they came - were more incisive.

Karembeu picked out Boksic again with a long crossfield ball, the Croatian chested it down and saw his shot blocked by Weir, with Paul Okon drilling the rebound wide.

Joe Max Moore went close for Everton with a shot from almost 30 yards which was touched away by Schwarzer two minutes from the break.

Seconds later Schwarzer saved well to his left after Moore had driven a free-kick through a wall in the box.

Everton needed to hit back quickly in the second half - and they were level on 49 minutes.

Watson's cross curled into the box and Schwarzer dropped the ball under pressure from Campbell.

Naysmith was quickest to react, nodding the ball into the net, and when the Aussie goalkeeper raced almost to the halfway line to protest about Campbell's challenge, he was booked for his troubles.

The players were absolutely furious about the goal, it was a clear foul. But what's the point in complaining. It looked a clear foul, but that's life

  Terry Venables on Campbell's challenge

But Boro were back in front on 62 minutes when Thomas Myhre failed to get a clean punch under pressure from Boksic and Colin Cooper sent a looping header back over Myhre and Naysmith on the line.

Tal replaced Thomas Gravesen with 15 minutes left with Everton searching for any sort of attacking spark to save them.

The Israeli was clattered by Paul Ince within a minute of arriving, earning the Boro skipper a booking, but, two minutes later, Tal was the hero.

Moore's corner from the left reached Tal, unmarked beyond the far post, and he cooly brought the ball down and lashed it inside the near post for the equaliser.

Ehiogu and Cooper were both booked late on as Boro held on desperately, though the final whistle left both sides feeling frustrated.

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Everton: Myhre, Steve Watson, Gough, Weir, Ball, Naysmith, Gemmill, Gravesen, Ferguson, Moore, Campbell. Subs: Unsworth, Simonsen, Cadamarteri, Xavier, Tal.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Fleming, Vickers, Cooper, Ehiogu, Gordon, Ince, Okon, Karembeu, Boksic, Ricard. Subs: Festa, Mustoe, Deane, Whelan, Crossley.

Referee: G Barber (Tring).