The Australian, who rejected the chance to extend his stay at the Riverside to join Fulham, pulled off a superb 47th-minute save to keep out Tuncay Sanli's header and with it, repel the Teessiders' best chance to break the deadlock.
Southgate: "It was a fantastic cross from Jeremie [Aliadiere], it was a great late run from Tuncay and a great header, and it was an outstanding save."
Things might have been even worse for Southgate's side had Andrew Johnson's 34th-minute shot not come back off the post, or had Clint Dempsey or Bobby Zamora made the most of late openings.