THE FIGHT to stay up looks like going the distance as Boro lost the 126th league Tees-Wear derby while all those around them took something from their games, writes GORDON COX.

An injury-time winner gave Sunderland the spoils in a pulsating game as sub Daryl Murphy popped up at the death to keep Boro in a relegation fight with just two Premier League games remaining.

The answer to the question which had been troubling Gareth Southgate all week came at 2pm when Brad Jones was named to play in goal.

Mark Schwarzer was ruled out with back problems while Ross Turnbull was not 100 per cent fit with a similar injury.

It meant a first start for Jones since the Carling Cup defeat at Tottenham in September and his first Premier League start since February last year.

Elsewhere Lee Cattermole came in for Jeremie Aliadiere, who missed the game with a painful knock to his right leg.

Roy Keane also made two changes to his side from last week's defeat at Newcastle, Paul McShane was dropped and Daryl Murphy relegated to the bench as Kieran Richardson and Michael Chopra earned call ups to the starting line-up.

The home support gave a warm applause to Julio Arca, a favourite of theirs for six years, while there was a meaningful handshake between the two managers, who have great respect for each other.

Boro started brightly, although Stewart Downing sent a weak shot towards goal and Tuncay shot well over went presented with opportunities.

But the game exploded into life with two goals in 90 seconds.

Boro opened the scoring with just over four minutes played as Afonso Alves lofted a well weighted ball over the top and Tuncay took advantage of a flat back line to take possession and fire a low shot across Craig Gordon from a narrowing angle - a fine finish.

Sunderland tried to hit back immediately and Kenwyne Jones was only beaten by the bounce of the ball as he took up a great position prior to Chopra's follow up shot being superbly blocked by Andrew Taylor.

But Boro didn't pick up Danny Higginbotham from the resultant corner and he was unchallenged when heading back across Brad Jones with his header nestling into top corner of the net.

Going forward Boro looked lively, but Sunderland's midfield had their tails up and caused many problems.

A searching run down the left from Andy Reid ended with a teasing cross which managed to evade any contact as it dipped and flew across the six-yard box.

Hesitancy allowed Chopra to reach a ball he had no right to but the angle was too acute for the former Newcastle man to do anything other than pull his shot across the face of a thankfully unattended goal.

Playing this week at right-back, skipper Dean Whitehead started the next attack as he linked well with Richardson, the pair managing to engineer the home side another corner, though Boro cleared comfortably.

It took the Teessiders a long time to react to Sunderland's equaliser, but gradually they settled and regained belief.

Super work from Downing on the left culminated in a quality cross which Tuncay headed just wide from the edge of the six-yard box.

Too often though, there was more endeavour than quality between both penalty areas as the lack of a cutting edge was apparent.

A flashpoint seven minutes from half-time brought yellow cards for Chopra and David Wheater after the latter reacted with a shove to an over-the-top tackle from the former.

Approaching half-time Reid danced dangerously past one challenge and looked to have ridden another as he moved into Boro's penalty area but Wheater did well to block.

But the young central defender was left stranded as Sunderland took the lead seconds before the end of normal time at the end of the first half.

A chipped ball over the top picked up Chopra who still had plenty to do but got the better of Wheater and steadied himself before smashing into Brad Jones's top right-hand corner from the left-hand edge of the six-yard box.

It was the home side who fashioned the first chance of the second half as Kenwyne Jones powered his way at an angle into Boro's penalty area and it took a fine block from Brad Jones to prevent further damage.

Appeals for a penalty were turned away when Whitehead appeared to catch Downing on the right-hand edge of the Sunderland penalty area, but no foul was given.

Cattermole was replaced by Fabio Rochemback 12 minutes after the restart as Boro looked to add creativity to their midfield.

Hopes were high that problems could be caused when Boro won a free-kick ten yards out from the edge of the Sunderland penalty area, but Alves fired wildly into the 20th row behind the goal.

After lenghy treatment following a clash with Pogatetz, Jones returend to the action sporting a large white bandage, but it was his strike partner who almost put Sunderland further ahead just past the mid-point of the second half.

Whitehead swung over a fine cross from the right, Chopra stretched to shoot but Jones made a fine one-handed save to keep the scores level.

A fine block from Whitehead followed by an equally fine save from Gordon denied Downing, but Boro stuck to their task and drew level after 73 minutes.

A deep cross from the right picked out Arca just up from the D on the edge of the Sunderland box.

A scuffed shot from the Argentinian found it's way to Afonso Alves, looking just offside deep in the box, but his shot beat Gordon and Higginbotham couldn't prevent it from rolling into the net.

Boro fans, excellent throughout the afternoon, now made the noise as the Sunderland faithful took their place on the edge of their seats.

The goal set up a grandstand finish, with both sides continuing to go for the win and it took a fine interception from George Boateng, filling in for Luke Young, who had been drawn out of position, to prevent Chopra being left with a free shot in front of goal.

Entering the first of five minutes of added time, Sunderland won a corner as Pogatetz cleared under pressure from Jones.

A left-sided inswinger was met near post by Daryl Murphy who headed in beyond Brad Jones as a desperate attempt from Wheater to clear off the line wa in vein - not many teams have scored as many late goals as Sunderland this season and certainly not many will have been as decisive.

Teams

Sunderland: Gordon; Whitehead (Capt), Nosworthy, Higginbottom, Collins, Edwards (Leadbitter 60), Miller, Reid, Richardson, Chopra (Murphy 85), Jones. Unused subs: Fulop (gk); Harte, Prica.

Middlesbrough Jones; Young, Wheater, Pogatetz (Capt), Taylor, Cattermole (Rochemback 57), Boateng, Arca, Downing, Tuncay, Alves. Unused subs: Turnbull (gk); Grounds, Shawky, Johnson.

Referee: Steve Bennett

Bookings

Sunderland: Richardson, 33, foul; Chopra, 38, foul; Whitehead, 45+2, foul.

Boro: Wheater, 38, retaliation; Pogatetz, 66, foul. 

Attendance: 45,059

Conditions: Mild and bright

Website Man of the Match: Emanuel Pogatetz