Middlesbrough 1-1 Spurs
by Harry De Cosemo
at the Riverside

MIDDLESBROUGH stretched their unbeaten run to five games as they earned an FA Cup replay with Tottenham Hotspur in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside today.

Lucas Moura’s header cancelled out Ashley Fletcher’s opener in a tight game and the visitors will be particularly disappointed that they couldn’t bounce back from defeat at Southampton on New Year’s Day.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho admitted he relished the “real cup” atmosphere, despite failing to get the win he felt his side deserved.

“I enjoyed it, but I’m there to analyse and it was frustrating,” he said.

“It was a real cup game when you don’t realise the teams are in different divisions. But if there is to be a winner, it has to be us because of our last half hour.”

Mourinho set his stall out by naming the strongest team possible despite missing the injured Harry Kane, but Boro started stronger.

Both sides could have taken the lead approaching the half-hour mark.

Paddy McNair was fortunate not to turn Christian Eriksen’s cross into his own net, before his free kick was almost guided in by Dael Fry.

Spurs threw bodies on the line to block and they managed to scramble the ball away.

Boro had to wait just five minutes after the break to open the scoring. Fletcher beat the offside trap to latch onto George Saville’s through-ball and finish calmly past Paulo Gazzaniga.

Mourinho didn’t take long to react as Spurs continued to flounder. Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela were summoned, replacing Ryan Sessegnon and Harry Winks.

But they equalised just past the hour as Serge Aurier finally connected with a teammate. Lucas Moura, who had been rather ineffectual until that point, nodded home another excellent cross.

Rudy Gestede was introduced for Boro and almost made an immediate impact, laying the ball off to Fletcher. The striker was denied a second by Gazzaniga, before himself being substituted for new signing Lukas Nmecha.

With just under 10 minutes remaining, Tomas Mejias was called into action by Lucas, who unleashed a stinging shot from just outside the area. The Spaniard had already reacted to thwart Lamela after his deceptive effort moments earlier.

Aurier could have capped an impressive display with the winner after a swift Spurs break but he sliced his effort over the bar, meaning both sides will have to do it all again on Boro’s first visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Jonathan Woodgate couldn’t hide his pride, but joked he is so concerned about squad fitness ahead of the replay that he may pull his boots on again.

“I’m so proud of my lads,” he said.

“We had to hang on at times but they remained confident and calm. We played well at times.

“I hope we play [the replay] on Tuesday because we’ve got Fulham on the Friday and we haven’t got a squad. I might have to come out of retirement!”