Boro's run goes on

Boro threatened to spoil Walter Smith's 100th match in charge of Everton through goals from Hamilton Ricard and Colin Cooper, but Israeli substitute Idan Tal ensured the Toffees took a share of the spoils.

Boro brought in Ricard, after suspension, and Cooper, with Gianluca Festa and Noel Whelan dropping to the bench, with Walter Smith making five changes from the team humiliated in the FA Cup by neighbours Tranmere Rovers.

Former Newcastle United frontman Duncan Ferguson, making only his third start of the season, was straight into the action bringing a foul from Paul Ince after just two minutes. Gough's free kick from the halfway line ended with Ferguson in a heap in the box but referee Graham Barber rightly waved away his protestations.

As Terry Venables predicted, Everton started like a house on fire but the Boro's back triumverate kept the Toffees at bay.

The threat of Alen Boksic on the break again proved to be Boro's best hope, and Boksic was at the centre of the Boro opener.

After 11 minutes a corner was cleared by the home defence and Christian Karembeu picked the ball up on the right. The Frenchman picked out Boksic with a beautifully flighted ball and his header back across goal gave Ricard the chance to stoop and head home.

Everton refused to be disheartened by the setback and a minute later a free kick from Gravesen found Ferguson free of his marker but he couldn't direct his header on target.

Boro found themselves under the cosh for the next quarter of an hour with Everton having further penalty appeals from Gravesen and Feruson again turned down.

Everton were finding success by directing the ball to the head of Ferguson and it appeared a matter of time before they would reap the benefits

The constant pressure appeared to be affecting Boro and Steve Vickers and Dean Gordon found themselves in the referees notebook within a minute of each other, both for rash challenges.

From Gordon's foul a free kick on the right of the box gave Gough a free header but, like Ferguson before him, he failed to find the target.

Just after the half hour a foray from Boro again saw Karembeu and Boksic link up but as the Croatian was about to shoot for goal David Weir slid in to clear the danger.

Two minutes later an Ince free kick found Cooper coming late into the box but he couldn't direct his header on target.

Everton again took the game to their visitors, with Watson going close from a free kick, before they had their best chance of the half to draw level.

A corner from the right in the 38th minue gave Ferguson the opportunity to hit the target but his header was cleared off the line by Cooper into the thankful arms of Schwarzer.

Everton continued to apply the pressure and just before the interrval a foul by Ehiogu on Campbell gave Everton a free kick right on the edge of the box. After what appeared to be an age for the wall to settle, Joe-Max Moore fired in an effort which was saved low to his left by Schwarzer.

Everton started the second half as they ended the first with another former Magpie, Steve Watson, in the tick of things. He broke down the right in the 48th minute and his cross appeared to be an easy claim for Schwarzer. The keeper caught the ball but under pressure from Campbell it slipped out of his grasp for Naysmith to head the equaliser.

The keeper was furious at what appeared to be a clear foul from Kevin Campbell and his protests earned him a yellow card from Graham Barber.

Two minutes later play was held up after Ricard was left with blood pouring from a facial wound and he was forced to leave the field to be replaced by Noel Whelan.

All the pressure was being applied by Everton and Venables brought onFesta for Gordon, who was being given a torrid time by Watson, in a bid to shore up his defence.

But with a point looking Boro's best bet they found a second goal from a nothing ball. Fleming lumped the ball in to the box and under pressure Myrhe could only find the head of Cooper, who looped the ball into the net for his first goal of the season.

The goal silenced the crowd and stunned Walter Smith's men.

With Everton seemingly bereft of ideas, Smith introduced Tal in a bid to find an equaliser. The effect was immediate.

A free kick from the halfway line was flicked into the path of Tal by Ferguson and Schwarzer pulled off a wonder save from the Iisraeli.

But that was ony temporary respite and the resultant corner was picked up by Tal unmarked on the six-yard box and his volley screamed past Schwarzer.

Everton continued to attack without finding the end product and Boro were happy to see the referee blow for full time.

Boro head coach Terry Venables was disappointed with the referee's decision not to give a foul for the challenge on Schwarzer which gave Everton their first goal.

He said: "What's the point. He did not give the foul. The players were absolutely furious. We've had trouble with the same referee before. It was a certain foul."

Venables was impressed with the aerial threat imposed by former Newcastle striker Ferguson, saying: "Ferguson is like Niall Quinn. They rattled us with balls into the box for Ferguson and he was a real handful. He got the goal that way and Ferguson is a great player and that is why he has been transferred for so many millions of pounds."

Hamilton Ricard left the pitch with a broken nose and Colin Cooper is now facing a suspension following his yellow card.

l Manchester City earned a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Maine Road and Danny Tiatto's equaliser could prove to be vital in City's bid to avoid relegation.

It inches City ever closer to manager Joe Royle's survival target of 38 points.

Liverpool took the lead a minute before half-time when they produced the best move of the half as Vladimir Smicer pulled the ball back for Emile Heskey to power home his 17th goal of the season.

It was the perfect way for Heskey to mark his return to the side after starting the last two matches on the bench.

Within two minutes of the restart, City levelled when Shaun Goater pulled the ball back for Tiatto to fire home into the roof of the net