Ehiogu rescues 'Boro

Middlesbrough 2, West Ham 2 (full-time)

Ugo Ehiogu rescued Middlesbrough with a late header to keep the heat on West Ham’s under-pressure manager Glenn Roeder.

Three points would have lifted the Hammers off the bottom of the Premiership but with two minutes left Ehiogu rose highest to thump in a header and keep the Londoners propping up the pile.

Roeder’s men have performed far better on their travels during their troubled season and once more this was the case as Joe Cole rifled them in front just after the break.

Middlesbrough drew level when substitute Szilard Nemeth finished off a good move to equalise but makeshift Ian Pearce, usually a central defender but pushed up front in Paolo di Canio’s absence, was rewarded for a battling display with a well-taken goal.

Steve McClaren’s men were heading for defeat after another erratic display only for Ehiogu to strike and keep Middlesbrough’s unbeaten record at home this season.

It was somewhat harsh on the the Hammers, who had remained true to their instincts by arriving at the Riverside with victory in their sights and an attacking formation – no thoughts of 10 men behind the ball and fight for a 0-0 draw here.

They made the running during a poor first half, in which Middlesbrough badly missed the injured Joseph-Desire Job and Massimo Maccarone looked low in confidence.

In the second minute Franck Queudrue cleared Edouard Cisse’s header off the line after a penetrating corner, however the Hammers’ attacking intent left space for Middlesbrough to exploit and Alen Boksic presented Geremi with a clear opportunity 25 yards out but his shot was dreadful.

Cole’s twisting run took him into the home penalty area and although he clipped a decent ball back inside neither Pearce nor Jermain Defoe anticipated the pass.

Geremi did rather better when Ehiogu turned and curled in a cross, the Cameroonian sending a header towards the far post that David James just managed to parry. There was more danger for the Londoners from the resulting corner when the ball flicked off Cisse’s head and back off the angle.

Defoe tried to invigorate West Ham with a snapshot from 25 yards which Mark Schwarzer saved comfortably, then a far-post corner by Queudrue caused confusion among the Hammers defenders but Ehiogu could not find the target with a header despite being unmarked.

West Ham continued to look threatening and Cisse forced a fingertip save from Schwarzer with a left-footed curler.

Defoe, on the run, attempted a chip which was not a mile off, then a Hammers’ flag-kick saw Pearce hurl himself at a loose ball but Middlesbrough scrambled it to safety.

After a scrappy first half it was no surprise that Steve McClaren changed to a 4-4-2 formation at the break, bringing on Nemeth.

Just 54 seconds into the second half however, West Ham took the lead through Cole. The England midfielder burst down the right and though Queudrue was alongside him tucked a shot across Schwarzer and just inside the post.

Boksic almost replied immediately for the home side after being found in space by Massimo Maccarone but James spread himself to block his low drive.

Nemeth’s introduction had made McClaren’s side function more effectively and it was the Slovakian who fired Middlesbrough level in the 58th minute.

Picking up possession in midfield, Nemeth fed Boksic who held the ball up well before returning it courtesy of an exquisite back-heeled flick. Nemeth surged into the Hammers box then struck a crisp low shot into the corner of the net.

Both sides nearly earned themselves excellent chances but Cole and then Jonathan Greening were both guilty of being wasteful.

Nemeth tried his luck from all of 35 yards but was wide, then Maccarone saw his header drift a yard past the post following a lovely whipped-in ball by Boksic.

With 15 minutes left West Ham re-took the lead through, of all people Pearce. Defoe played a crucial role in the goal, advancing menacingly at the Middlesbrough defence and shooting against Gareth Southgate’s legs for Pearce to sweep the ball first time high past Schwarzer.

Middlesbrough equalised for a second time when Ehiogu rose highest to head Geremi’s corner past James.