Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur: Fight Back
[uk.eurosport.yahoo.com]
Jermain Defoe scored his 12th league goal of the season to return to the top of the scoring charts, while Michael Dawson doubled Spurs' lead with his second goal in as many games. Substitute Louis Saha gave Everton hope with his ninth of the season before Tim Cahill struck to grab a share of the points.
Defoe had the chance to snatch a late victory in injury time from the penalty spot, but his effort was saved by goalkeeper Tim Howard.
The draw means Everton put an end to their run of three straight defeats and moves them three points above the relegation zone, while Spurs missed the chance to move back above local rivals Arsenal into third place.
Another ray of light on Everton's horizon may be Seamus Coleman, who came off the bench after just 16 minutes due to an injury to Joseph Yobo. It may have only been the 21-year-old's fourth appearance for the club, but he was instrumental in their revival.
After a fiercely-contested first half, it took Spurs just two minutes to take the lead after the break. Aaron Lennon - again in sparkling form for the Lilywhites - dropped an inviting cross at the feet of Defoe on the edge of the six-yard box, and the England striker steered it past Howard.
On the hour mark Dawson - once more wearing the captain's armband as Robbie Keane took his place on the Spurs bench - lost his marker Lucas Neill to meet Niko Kranjcar's corner with a great diving header.
Everton boss David Moyes had seen enough, and brought on Louis Saha and Yakubu soon after the goal, with Brazilian Jo, who had struggled in his lone frontman role, coming off.
After making their presence felt throughout the first half, the home crowd were subdued following the second Spurs goal, but Coleman helped lift both the crowd and his team on his home debut.
Time and again the Irishman would maraud down the right flank, and his endeavour reaped its reward when, with 12 minutes to play, he zipped past Gareth Bale and pulled a ball back for Saha to smash into the roof of the net.
Coleman also had a hand in the equaliser as a rattled Spurs found it difficult to deal with Everton camped out in their half. The right-back intelligently pulled a back across to Leighton Baines, and the left-back fired in a shot that Cahill stooped to meet with his head and beat Heurelho Gomes.
Everton's joy soon turned to despair as makeshift centre-back Tony Hibbert - who for so much of the match did a sterling job of keeping Defoe quiet - barged over Wilson Palacios in the area and referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot.
The spot-kick was given in the third minute of injury time, but it took several minutes for Palacios to be treated before being stretchered off. That delay would not have been welcome for Defoe and, with perhaps too much time to think about where to place his shot, fired straight down the middle allowing Howard to save with his legs.
Tony Mabert / Eurosport
Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06122009/58/premier-league-everton-fight-draw-spurs.html
