Rebrov catches the eye

Hope still springs eternal in North London and on Teesside, if only because last night's closely-fought draw provided little indication as to what either side can truly expect this season.

Bryan Robson can take heart from his side's early attacking and their second-half revival which saw Mark Summerbell head them level while Tottenham could have won had Steffen Iversen's late Exocet not been straight at Mark Schwarzer. In the end a point apiece seemed appropriate.

There is a sense of genuine expectation at both clubs after a summer of mouth-watering transfer activity, an enthusiasm hardly dampened by convincing opening-day victories.

For the visit of George Graham's apparently hot Spurs, Teesside hoped to be granted its first sight of Alen Boksic. But, to the locals' dismay, the two-goal hero of Boro's win at Coventry was forced to rest his sore ankle.

Instead it was Joseph-Desire Job, the right-sided prong of Middlesbrough's trident attack, who posed the early threat. Within a minute of his home debut he had Neil Sullivan gratefully clutching a low shot.

In the absence of Boksic the sole bigname East European on view was the visitors' £11 million recruit, Sergei Rebrov. After a quiet start, with his side defending in numbers, the pocket-sized Ukrainian steadily imposed his influence.

There was skill - Tim Sherwood's lob was neatly controlled on his instep to gasps from the crowd - and vision as he wriggled himself into space before sending Ben Thatcher away down the left. The defender's cross was headed firmly over the bar by Steffen Iversen.

Then, after Steve Carr had seen his lob cleared off the line by Paul Okon and Sherwood had shot wide, Rebrov was instrumental in the visitors gaining a deserved lead. The striker, all twists and turns with mesmeric feet to baffle his marker, broke free of the congested midfield to measure a delicious cross into the Middlesbrough area. Arriving at speed was Oyvind Leonhardsen, who flicked a header past the diving Schwarzer and inside the far post.

In the 59th minute, Karembeu fed Curtis Fleming down the right and the full-back's cross found Summerbell, in for the injured Paul Ince, who powered his first league goal beyond Sullivan.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Fleming, Vickers, Pallister, Karembeu, Deane, O'Neill, Job (Whelan 86), Okon, Ricard (Campbell 81), Summerbell. Subs Not Used: Stamp, Crossley, Gavin. Booked: Summerbell, Okon. Goals: Summerbell 59.

Tottenham: Sullivan, Carr, Freund, Campbell, Perry, Anderton, Sherwood, Iversen, Rebrov (Ferdinand 76), Leonhardsen, Thatcher. Subs Not Used: Walker, Taricco, Clemence, Vega. Goals: Leonhardsen 41.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).