Spurs still to master the elusive art of defending

Tottenham may have restricted the opposition to a single goal but the art of defending remains uppermost in the thoughts of caretaker manager David Pleat.

After conceding 13 goals in four matches, substitute Szilard Nemeth's winning strike for Middlesbrough represented a marked improvement.

But they were lucky not concede more, with Massimo Maccarone having a penalty saved by Kasey Keller and Joseph-Desire Job missing a sitter after a Dean Richards error. The defensive frailties are still there.

Pleat's post-match assessment was that Middlesbrough hardly brought a save of note from Keller, but his own £14million strikeforce failed to put Mark Schwarzer under any pressure.

A first-half volley from Darren Anderton brought a fine one-handed save from the Boro 'keeper but that was the sum total of their efforts.

After a forgettable first half, Boro boss Steve McClaren introduced Maccarone and Spurs began to panic.

On the hour, referee Mark Halsey adjudged Richards to have brought down Job only for Keller to save Maccarone's penalty. Three minutes later, Job missed one of the easiest chances he will ever have and the winner came 10 minutes later courtesy of a glorious run from Nemeth.