Middlesbrough 2 Tottenham 3
Dimitar Berbatov produced a performance worthy of the game's biggest stage to keep Tottenham in with a shout of qualification for next season's UEFA Cup with a 3-2 win at Middlesbrough.
The brilliant Bulgarian fired home a sensational 47th-minute volley and set up the first of strike partner Robbie Keane's double as Martin Jol's men produced a performance oozing class.
Only a late rally from Boro kept them in with a shout, with Mark Viduka briefly narrowing the deficit and Emanuel Pogatetz shredding Spurs nerves with an 89th-minute consolation.
But anything other than three points would have been especially harsh on the visitors, who were a cut above throughout a windy afternoon at the Riverside Stadium.
Berbatov proved a handful for a Boro rearguard featuring their new permanent signing Jonathan Woodgate from the start as Spurs grabbed the initiative.
Woodgate agreed a new four-year deal with Boro in midweek but will hope to avoid opponents of the likes of Berbatov, as the Bulgarian stretched him to the limit.
Berbatov twisted past Lee Cattermole to fire a low effort which almost deceived Mark Schwarzer and then flashed another effort just past the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
It was almost a one-man show as Berbatov was at the centre of every early move and it was entirely predictable that he should be heavily involved in the visitors' opener.
Berbatov squeezed past Pogatetz in the left side of the Boro box before knocking the ball across to Keane, who slid home his 20th goal of the season.
Boro, reliant as ever on Stewart Downing's wing play in the early stages, fashioned their first real chance just before the half-hour when George Boateng's drive was deflected narrowly wide.
But they could do little with their increased possession and Cattermole risked the ire of the frustrated home fans when he blazed a 34th-minute cross high and wide of target.
It was back to Berbatov, who launched another swift counter-attack which ended in a low cross towards Keane, who missed the ball in front of goal by inches.
Boro came close to a barely-deserved equaliser in the 43rd minute when Viduka turned in a crowded box and struck a low shot inches wide of target.
But any hope the home side had of pressing at the start of the second half were undone by a moment of pure brilliance by Berbatov in the 47th minute.
Hossam Ghaly found space down the right flank and timed his cross to perfection, dropping it onto the right boot of Berbatov, who volleyed past a helpless Schwarzer from 25 yards.
Spurs came agonisingly close to a third in the 56th minute when Steed Malbranque sent Keane clean through, but the Irishman knocked his shot inches wide under pressure from Schwarzer.
Incredibly, the visitors were almost made to pay for their miss as the home side roused themselves for a final flurry, beginning with Viduka's shot over the crossbar in the 63rd minute.
The Australian headed home Downing's cross in the 66th minute and almost put Boro level within a minute with a point-blank effort which was brilliantly saved by Paul Robinson.
But the visitors were not to be denied and struck back to effectively seal the points when sub Aaron Lennon cut the ball back from the goal-line and Keane powered the ball past Schwarzer.
Pogatetz pulled a further goal back for Boro, but Spurs got the points they deserved.
Tottenham boss Martin Jol singled out Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Robinson for special praise after his side kept on track for a UEFA Cup place with a 3-2 victory at Middlesbrough.
The three points were enough to take Spurs up to eighth place and behind Portsmouth - who currently hold the final European slot - on goal difference alone.
Jol admitted: 'We needed Paul to keep us on a positive note because with other results it was a must-win game for us and we knew it was going to be difficult.
'Every time we scored we lost a bit of initiative both at 2-0 and 3-1, we looked OK but we needed Paul to keep us ahead with that save.'
Jol shrugged: '(Berbatov) has excellent quality and he has shown that by scoring 14 goals in 12 matches. He had a good first half and scored an excellent second goal but he is always capable of that.'
Boro boss Gareth Southgate blamed his side's passive first-half performance for the defeat and admitted that despite his side's late rally they had left themselves too much to do.
Southgate said: 'We were too passive in the first half and allowed Tottenham to have a game of football which is what they are good at.
'We tried to come out for the second half with a different mentality and obviously to concede as early as we did was a real blow for us but I was pleased with our response.
'We didn't roll over and we had a real go. When we got the goal back we looked more likely to get the next goal but we got caught on the break.'
And Southgate believes his side's bad habit of starting games slowly is causing them problems in particular in front of a restless Riverside Stadium crowd.
He added: 'I don't know if we have a bit of fear playing here at times but it can sometimes be difficult if things are not going well. We have a tendency to start slowly and it gives us a lot to do.'