BBC SPORT | Football | Premiership (original) (raw)

West Brom boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a well-earned point at White Hart Lane.

The Baggies dominated the first half and, after Neil Clement's free-kick had hit a post, Zoltan Gera took advantage of poor defending to put them ahead.

Spurs improved after the break and Robbie Keane volleyed them level, while Andy Reid fired just over the bar.

But Junichi Inamoto and Gera went close to grabbing a second for West Brom, who are now one spot above the drop zone.

Spurs started the game 11 places ahead of their opponents and eyeing European qualification for the first time in five years.

But it was West Brom who looked more likely to achieve their season's goal in the opening period.

As early as the second minute, Michael Dawson's block on Kanu saw the ball fall kindly to Gera, only for the Hungarian to shoot wastefully wide.

Dawson was then booked for bringing down Kieran Richardson, who soon went off with a thigh injury, and Clement smacked his effort against Paul Robinson's left-hand post.

Indeed, apart from a Thomas Gaardsoe defensive header which Russell Hoult had to tip over, the visitors were making all the running.

It was no surprise when Dawson made a mess of Richard Chaplow's corner to leave Gera with plenty of time and space to pick his spot.

He celebrated with two somersaults and there could have been more cause for jubilation when Robinson parried Chaplow's fiercely-struck drive.

Martin Jol had seen enough and brought on Thimothee Atouba and Mido for Erik Edman and Sean Davis at the break.

The changes paid quick dividends as Mido's physical presence unsettled Clement into heading straight at Keane, who stroked in the equaliser.

West Brom were not ready to cave in and almost immediately Inamoto broke through and fired across Robinson, who touched his goalbound effort wide.

An attractive match was suddenly opening up - too much for Bryan Robson's liking and he brought on Darren Moore to help combat Tottenham's three strikers.

But both sides continued to look threatening, Reid's powerful drive going just over and Gera's hooked effort narrowly wide.

Jol took off a disappointing Jermain Defoe and brought on Reto Ziegler, a sign that he was not too unhappy with a point.

And that is what both sides got despite Spurs piling on the pressure in the closing stages.



Tottenham: Robinson, Kelly, King, Dawson, Edman (Atouba 45), Davies, Davis (Mido 45), Carrick, Reid, Defoe (Ziegler 75), Keane.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Marney.
Booked: Dawson, Reid.
Goals: Keane 52.
West Brom: Hoult, Scimeca, Gaardsoe, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Richardson (Inamoto 23), Wallwork, Chaplow, Kanu (Earnshaw 83), Campbell (Moore 60).
Subs Not Used: Albrechtsen, Kuszczak.
Goals: Gera 24.
Att: 35,885

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