Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur : Tim Howard Saves Penalty As Everton Come From Two Down To Hold Spurs

By Neil Jones

Everton v Tottenham : Line ups and stats
Premier League results and standings

Tim Howard's injury time penalty save earned Everton a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Tottenham, with David Moyes' side battling back from two goals down in the second half.

The American stopper plunged to his right to deny Jermain Defoe in the 94th minute, after goals from sub Louis Saha and skipper Tim Cahill had blasted Everton back into the game late on. Spurs had looked set to triumph through goals from Defoe and Michael Dawson.

With Blues boss Moyes forced to name 5ft 8in Tony Hibbert at centre-back alongside Joseph Yobo, it was little surprise that Spurs - and Peter Crouch in particular - enjoyed early aerial dominance. One flick from Crouch allowed strike partner Jermain Defoe to release Aaron Lennon, but his shot was blocked.

Everton did their utmost to press their visitors, and created a couple of early chances themselves. Tim Cahill played in Jo with an astute pass inside 90 seconds, but Vedran Corluka got across well to cover, before Steven Pienaar's neat flick allowed Jack Rodwell - recalled after injury - to fire in an angled effort that Heruelho Gomes fielded at his near post.

In a pleasingly open game, Spurs were next to threaten as Lennon slipped a ball through for Crouch, but the former Liverpool man blazed his strike over, much to the delight of the Gwladys Street End.

Defoe got his first sight of goal moments later, released by Tom Huddlestone after Crouch's adroit chest pass. But the England striker's left foot strike from the edge of the box was straight at Tim Howard, who saved with his legs.

Everton's woes worsened just 14 minutes in, with Yobo - who was a doubt for the game with a hamstring injury - forced off, to be replaced by rookie full-back Seamus Coleman, who was making his home league debut.

It left Moyes with two more full-backs - Hibbert and Lucas Neill - in the centre of defence, which against a strike duo as potent as Crouch and Defoe, was always going to be problematic. Indeed, within seconds, Defoe had rolled Hibbert with ease in the penalty area, only to scuff his shot straight into Howard's arms.

But Everton stood firm, and young Coleman almost created an opening with a brave foray down the right, with Michael Dawson clearing his low cross from inside his six yard box. Rodwell then clipped a delightful pass into the feet of Jo, whose well-struck shot on the turn veered wide of Gomes' left hand post, before the Brazilian forward failed to connect cleanly with Pienaar's driven cross.

It was entertaining stuff. Leighton Baines brought a first meaningful save from Gomes with a well-flighted 25-yard free-kick, before a lovely Spurs move saw Niko Kranjcar's neat pass give Defoe a clear sight of the goal, but the usually-prolific frontman dragged his effort a yard wide, as Everton breathed a sigh of relief.

With the game heating up, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Marouane Fellaini went nose-to-nose after a tangle in midfield, and Hibbert had to make a superb last-ditch tackle to deny Defoe, as Spurs' superior passing looked likely to open up Everton. But, after a couple of moments of indecision from Howard went unpunished, the first-half ended scoreless.

Tottenham sent on young Welshman Gareth Bale for the second half, replacing the frankly awful Assou-Ekotto, and it was not long before his side had resumed their supremacy.

Only shrewd covering from young Coleman denied Jermain Defoe a clear sight of goal within a minute of the restart, but there was no such luck seconds later as Lennon's beautiful right wing cross was met by Spurs' top scorer six yards out, and the ball flew off his left foot past Howard, and into the roof of the net.

It could have been worse soon after, as Crouch and Defoe linked up in the penalty area, forcing Howard into a fine fingertip save to deny the former-Liverpool man.

But it was only a temporary reprieve for the home side, as Spurs picked up a second on 58 minutes. Kranjcar provided the whipped corner from the right, and Michael Dawson outmuscled Neill at the far post to meet it with a flying header for 2-0.

Moyes, more in hope than expectation, sent on strikers Louis Saha and Yakubu as the Toffees chased the game. Yet still Tottenham had chances to extend their lead; first through a Bale free kick which drifted inches wide of Howard's left hand upright, and then when Kranjcar's pass released Crouch inside the penalty area, but his left-foot strike lacked conviction and was dragged well wide.

Everton finally found a foothold in the game with twelve minutes remaining, as the impressive Coleman got the better of Bale down the right, and his low pull-back was smashed high past Gomes from close range by Louis Saha to give the home side hope.

Defoe might have made the game safe seconds later, but his audacious chip was well off-target, before Saha almost raised the roof off the stadium with an incredible overhead kick which whistled inches wide of the post.

But the Gwladys Street did not have to wait much longer to cheer a leveller, and again it was Coleman who was the instigator. His cross from the right was allowed to travel across the box to Baines, whose mis-hit left-footed strike found the unmarked Tim Cahill with an empty net six yards out. The Australian's forehead did the rest and with four minutes left it was, improbably, 2-2.

But with Goodison screaming for a winner, Hibbert clattered into Wilson Palacios in stoppage time, and referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot. It was left to Defoe - after a lengthy delay - to take the spot kick, but Howard's save ensured the Blues picked up a much needed, and highly unlikely, point.