Spurs bring down Boro

Penalty hero Sheringham takes on Stockdale

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Spurs 2-1 Middlesbrough

Second-half goals from Teddy Sheringham and Les Ferdinand took Tottenham to a third successive Premiership victory and seventh place in the table.

But Spurs had to come from behind after Alen Boksic gave Middlesbrough an early lead.

Boro, who were looking for a third win in four visits to White Hart Lane, certainly started very brightly, but thereafter Spurs took control and dominated the second half to ensure a happy 44th birthday for Glenn Hoddle.

  Match facts

0-1 Boksic (9min)

1-1 Sheringham pen (58min)

2-1 Ferdinand (61min)

The Spurs manager resisted the temptation to tinker with the team that won 2-0 at Newcastle last Sunday.

Steve McClaren was also able to name the side that beat Sunderland 2-0 on Monday night.

There is a belief in that dressing room and we showed a lot of character because this was a game that Tottenham teams of the past would have lost

Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle

And Boksic's ninth-minute goal was no less than the visitors deserved.

Paul Ince chipped a free-kick into the box and Ledley King could only head the ball as far as the Croatian, who fired his fourth Premiership goal in five games into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

The goal unsettled Spurs and Jonathan Greening might have doubled the lead four minutes later following a corner, but he volleyed over the bar.

Gradually Spurs began to work their way back into the game with Anderton controlling play from the middle.

Steffen Freund, in his 100th appearance for the club, blasted high and wide with a long-range shot.

Then a good move down the right saw Mauricio Taricco cross, Ferdinand nod down and Gus Poyet's shot was deflected behind by Ugo Ehiogu.

Sheringham's header from Christian Ziege's cross was blocked by Robbie Mustoe but it was Ferdinand who had Spurs' best chance of the half eight minutes before the break.

Anderton fed Poyet, who put Ferdinand clear, and the big centre forward was through on goal but, under pressure from Ehiogu, he rushed his shot and fired over.

Ferdinand put Spurs ahead just after the hour

Spurs took up where they left off after the break, maintaining the pressure and limiting Middlesbrough to the occasional break.

Gareth Southgate cut out Anderton's low cross towards Sheringham at the near post and then Christian Ziege drove a Spurs free-kick into the Boro wall.

The players are angry and disappointed which is a great sign, because once you care you get performances week in and week out

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren

The home side finally got their break after 57 minutes when Taricco was tripped in the box by Franck Queudrue.

Sheringham slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner as Mark Schwarzer dived the other way.

Three minutes later and White Hart Lane was really celebrating as Spurs went ahead.

Tarrico put in a good run down the right and crossed, Poyet flicked on and Ferdinand made up for his earlier miss by volleying emphatically home.

There was almost a third goal after 62 minutes when Ziege tried a cheeky side-foot volley from wide on the right which crashed off the top of the bar.

McClaren brought on Colin Cooper for Szilard Nemeth after 64 minutes and Ehiogu might have levelled the scores when he volleyed a 66th-minute corner over the bar.

Boro ensured Spurs had some defending to do in the latter stages, but Dean Richards had an outstanding game at the back for Hoddle's men and the victory was well deserved.

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Spurs: Sullivan, Perry, King, Richards, Taricco, Freund, Anderton, Poyet, Ziege, Ferdinand, Sheringham. Subs: Keller, Thatcher, Leonhardsen, Davies, Kamanan.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Queudrue, Southgate, Ehiogu, Ince, Marinelli, Greening, Mustoe, Nemeth, Boksic. Subs: Crossley, Cooper, Johnston, Windass, Wilson.

Referee: M Dean (The Wirral)