Source: Daily_Mail
Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1: Dawson to the rescue as Spurs move up to third
It might have lacked the panache of the nine-goal victory they hadproduced last weekend, but on a freezing night of driving rain at VillaPark, Tottenham Hotspur added weight to the argument that they areemerging as the best of the rest outside the Premier League's elite. [LNB]They were forced to share the points with Aston Villa last night butnevertheless will be hugely encouraged by a performance which saw themdominate for long periods. [LNB] Super strike: Michael Dawson fires Tottenham's equaliser at Villa Park[LNB]That they failed to create more clear-cut chances from theirpossession for their patient strikeforce of Peter Crouch and JermainDefoe might be held against them, as would their propensity to defendprofligately early on. [LNB]However, on the basis of this encounter, they offered more cuttingedge than Villa, even if the home side might have won the game in the92nd minute, when substitute Emile Heskey turned a glancing header justover from Ashley Young's cross. [LNB]Then again, Jermain Defoe went close with a typically sharply-takestrike barely a minute later which was virtually the last strike of thegame. [LNB]'There's nothing to stop one of us, Manchester City or Villabreaking into the top four,' said Spurs boss Harry Redknapp afterwards,contemplating his third-place position and 20 points accumulated thusfar. [LNB] Delight: Dawson celebrates in front of the Tottenham fans[LNB] [LNB]'Who's to say we won't? We have to keep believing. We have a goodchance, we have good players. I would have thought the top seven arelikely to be the four that are always there and us three. It's notimpossible.' [LNB]Martin O'Neill was more circumspect, possibly because of theevidence of what he had just seen or more likely because he wishes tomanage expectations at Villa Park after being hailed as the team mostlikely to break the glass ceiling last season before fading away. [LNB]'I think Tottenham and Manchester City are very good teams and ifany team is going to threaten the top four, it will be those two. Theywill give it a proper go and they have a proper chance. We're battlingto hang on in there. It's tough, as we found out last year.' [LNB]If Tottenham could take encouragement from the verve and vibrancythey displayed, especially in the second half, O'Neill will draw somesolace from the resilience of his team, not least Carlos Cuellar,standing in at centre half, who seemed to be the decisive body forevery crucial block and saving tackle. [LNB] Perfect start: Gabriel Agbonlahor scores Aston Villa's opener against Spurs[LNB] [LNB]Also from Luke Young, who contained Aaron Lennon after filling infor Stephen Warnock, taken ill on matchday. But Brad Friedel surpassedboth of them, his goalkeeping being the determining factor which earnedVilla their point. [LNB]He needed to be at his best, once early on and then again on 48 minutes, to prevent the excellent Niko Kranjcar from scoring. [LNB]On both occasions he produced excellent saves and for the latter,the freezing conditions must have stung his fingertips as he pushedsuperb right-footed strike wide ofgoal. [LNB]He had previously denied Defoe on 21 minutes, when the Tottenhamstriker executed an exquisite turn and from the rebound, Michael Dawsonhad a better opportunity to steer the ball home from six yards out butsomehow Cuellar managed to clear the ball off the line. [LNB]On 28 minutes, he tipped Huddlestone's dipping, deflected shot over. [LNB]But it was Villa who had seized the ascendancy early on with whatO'Neill described as a 'proper goal-scorer's goal' from GabrielAgbonlahor.[LNB] Close battle: Villa's Carlos Cuellar clashes with Tom Huddlestone [LNB] [LNB] The centre forward reacted quickest to bundle the ball home on tenminutes, following Martin Petrov's stooping header from James Milner'scorner, which had been turned off the line by Benoit Assou-Ekotto withwhat looked suspiciously like the help of his arm. [LNB]Defoe had his Thierry Henry moment on 73 minutes, blocking SteveSidwell's header with his hand but chasing down the ball to prod itpast Friedel. [LNB]The Spurs striker reacted in an animated fashion when referee Phil Dowd and his assistant ruled it out. [LNB]Tottenham's frustration was to come to a spectacular end on 77minutes when Assou-Ekotto sent in a swirling cross from the left andRichard Dunne could only half-clear to Dawson. [LNB]An unlikely candidate for the goal-of-the-month competition, the Tottenham skipper nevertheless chested the ball and struck a beautiful half-volley. [LNB]Villa defenders appealed hopeful for handball, but Dawson's shoulderrather than his arm was the controlling factor and this time Friedelwas finally beaten legitimately. [LNB] Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1: All the action as it happenedDES KELLY: Why Stoke ride high in a league of happinessASTON VILLA FC
