Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 1 Bolton Wanderers

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Saturday Apr 26 2008 03:00

Bolton came away from White Hart Lane with a priceless point and edged a step closer to Premier League safety after they held on to secure a 1-1 draw against Tottenham.

Gary Megson's side must have thought it was going to be a dream afternoon after substitute Stelios had fired them into the lead just 24 seconds into the second half.

But they took their foot off the pedal and allowed Tottenham back into the game when Steed Malbranque brought the home side level.

With Fulham recording a vital win over Manchester City and Birmingham and Reading also picking up a point, Bolton know they still have it all to do in their final two games of the season if they are to retain their Premier League status but will be pleased they managed to come away with something in north London.

Tottenham dominated the opening exchanges and could have broken the deadlock after 25 minutes when Robbie Keane fired a dipping right-foot shot which flew just past the post.

They came close again just 60 seconds later when Malbranque ran unchallenged towards the Bolton box and drilled a low shot which went inches wide of the post.

Bolton seemed to have all the luck on their side and escaped once again on the stroke of half-time when Jermaine Jenas' free-kick deflected off Gary Cahill and struck his own post.

Whatever Megson said to his Bolton players at half-time seemed to pay off as they snatched an unlikely lead at the start of the second half.Gretar Steinsson crossed the ball into the box, there was a major mix-up between Radek Cerny and Michael Dawson, and Stelios was on hand to knock the loose ball home.

Bolton failed to hold onto their lead and Tottenham drew level on 52 minutes. Keane produced a lovely turn on the edge of the box and played a superb ball into Malbranque who made no mistake striking a close-range effort past Ali Al-Habsi.

Keane came close again to putting the home side in front on 55 minutes when he was picked out by Dimitar Berbatov in the box but saw his shot beaten out by Al-Habsi.

Al-Habsi was proving to be the hero for Bolton and made another fine save on 65 minutes when he produced a fine save to keep Berbatov's curling shot out.

Bolton were hanging on for their lives and Tottenham blew two golden chances in stoppage time to steal all three points. Substitute Darren Bent saw his header cleared off the line by Danny Guthrie and they came close again just seconds later when Jamie O'Hara's cross found Berbatov who had a free header inside the box but flashed his header over the bar.

Live Commentary

90
Final whistle goes and a vital point for Bolton who were really hanging on in the end and Tottenham will be wondering how they failed to win this one.

90
O'Hara whips in a great freekick and picks out Berbatov who from 6 yards out can only head over the bar, what a chance and what a miss by Berbatov.

90
Didier Zokora gets a booking for diving inside the penalty area, shameless stuff from Zokora.

90
Bolton are living dangerously after Berbatov's header from another Jenas corner is blocked on the line by Cahill who then clears it away.

89
Jenas takes a corner for Spurs, sending it intowards the penalty spot but its dealt with well by Cahill who heads it away.

88
Huddlestone has another effort from long range after O'Hara set him up again, but again his shot goes high and wide of the target.

85
O'Hara picks out Huddlestone on the edge of the penalty area and the big central midfielder decides to take the shot on the volley but can only hammer it high and wide.

82
Jenas takes another corner for Spurs and Huddlestone is able to get his head on the ball, but he can only put his header over the bar.

81
Keane comes forward with the ball for Spurs before driving in a low shot which takes a deflection off Cahill who turns it behind for a corner.

79
Stelios gets in behind the defence and without looking up crosses the ball straight into the waiting hands of Cerny rather picking out Diouf in the penalty area.

76
Tottenham make their second change with Jamie O'Hara coming on for Steed Malbranque.

74
The ball falls to Bent on the edge of the penalty who takes the shot on first time but can only drive the ball right into the hands of Al-Habsi, great chance goes begging.

72
Taylor takes a corner for Bolton sending it in towards the near post where Woodgate heads it away, the ball eventually coming to O'Brien who can only head the ball over the bar.

67
Jenas floats in a freekick from just left of centre finding Berbatov at the far post whose header is straight at Al-Habsi, the goalkeeper collecting it at the second attempt.

65
Jenas takes the resulting corner which Bent gets a head on, only managing to send it over the bar with a poor header.

65
Berbatov with a cracking effort striking a shot with the outside of his boot sending it towards the bottom left hand corner where Al-Habsi has to push it away at full stretch.

64
Keane does brilliantly to make room for himselve before his shot hits Bent in the back and Al-Habsi is able to claim the ball.

61
Keane floats in a cross towards the far post looking for Malbranque who heads the ball back across goal but can't fine a white shirt in the penalty area.

58
Jenas swings in a corner with his right foot which Al-Habsi comes out to punch but doesn't do it convincingly and Bolton eventually clear it away.

55
Berbatov does brilliantly to pull a ball back for Keane inside the penalty area, whose first effort is blocked before the ball comes back to him and Al-Habsi comes out to smoother the second effort with a good save.

55
Huddlestone swings in a geat cross towards the near post from the right and Bent nearly gets his head on the ball but it's headed away by Samuel.

54
Nolan gets a booking after catching Lennon on the ankles with a poorly timed tackle

52
Tottenham are back on level terms after Keane's shot on the turn took a defelection and fortunatley fell to Malbranque who from 3 yards out tapped the ball home.

45
Bolton take the lead after Dawson fails to clear his lines and Diouf picks up the ball, giving it to Steinsson who cross finds Stelios at the far post and he scrambles it in from close range with his first touch, incredible stuff.

45
Alan Hutton can't continue after picking up an injury in the first half and Tom Huddlestone comes on.

45
Bolton make two changes at the break with Stelios and Diouf coming on for Campo and Rasiak.

45
The second half gets underway here at White Hart Lane with Bolton in desperate need of a win with Birminham beating Liverpool.

45
Jenas swings in the corner which is over everyones heads and the whistle goes for half time, a poor first half where Bolton have sat back and soaked up the Spurs pressure, although Spurs haven't forced Al-Habsi into a save.

45
Gilberto srtikes a ong range effort from 30 yards which takes a deflection off Steinsson and diverts onto the post and behind for a corner.

43
Jenas has a strike at goal from 30 yards but gets underneath and can only send it high into the crowd behind the goal.

42
Jenas curls in a second corner which Woodgate goes in for but Al-Habsi does well to claim the ball with a good catch.

41
Jenas takes a corner which he sends in towards the near post and Campo heads it behind for a corner.

38
Taylor swings in a corner for Bolton, sending it in towards the near post but Zokora can head it away and launch another Spurs counter attack.

34
Ivan Campo gets a booking after a badly timed tackle on Jenas.

34
Gilberto takes a shot on first time on the run from 30 yards which dips before Al-Habsi saves with a good catch from a powerful effort.

32
Jenas takes the corner which Woodgate gets to again but can only flick the ball on and out of play for a Bolton goal kick.

31
Berbatov strikes a freekick against the wall efore coming straight back to him, laying the ball off for Zokora who clipped the ball into the penalty area and Cahill has to had it behind.

30
Malbranque gets a cross in which Samuel has to clear with a flying header, good clearance but Bolton are still being penned in their own half.

26
Malbranque tries and outrageous effort trying to bend the ball in with the outside of his boot, sending it just wide of th left hand post.

26
Nolan lets the ball run under his foot and it comes to Keane who shots from the edge of the penalty area but can only send it just wide of the target.

24
Well Bolton are doing the job they were set-up for which is proving to be hard to break down although its not making for a very entertaining game with Spurs seemingley going through the motions.

20
Jenas takes the freekick this time and finds Lennon on the edge of the penalty who, Lennon taking the shot on the volley and blasting it over the bar.

20
Bolton are forced into a change and after three weeks Joey O'Brien has only lasted 20 minutes and Danny Guthrie has to take his place.

19
Lennon takes a quick freekick which he whips across the face of goal and Dawson taps it in but it's too quick for Mark Clattenburg's liking and they will have to retake it.

16
Lennon bursts down the wing and pulls a cross back looking for either Keane or Bebatov but Al-Habsi does well to claim the ball.

13
Berbatov chases a long ball which floats over his shoulder but he can't quite reach the ball and Al-Habsi claims the ball on the edge of the penalty area.

9
Well they have just shown a shot of Spurs' new signing Luka Modric, who is believed to have passed a medical today, good buy for Spurs.

6
Taylor loops in a high cross looking for Rasiak but Cerny does well to claim the ball with the sun in his eyes, no cap for the Spurs keeper who then bowls the ball out.

4
Tottenham are giving a masterclass in how to keep the ball and move it around, Berbatov eventually trying to flick it into the penalty area but Keane doesn't read it and Cahill can clear.

3
Jenas takes the corner whipping it in across the face of goal which Woodgate tries to attack but it skips off his head and Bolton can clear.

2
Keane gets in a high ball towards the far post wich Berbatov tries to get on the end of but Taylor gets in, only able to head the ball behind for a corner.

0
Bolton are looking to record a third victory on the bounce for the first time in 16 months as they try to move further away from the drop zone. The Trotters welcome back Joey O?Brien and Grezegorz Rasiak has recovered from a cut eye.

0
Tottenham welcome back Gilberto and Woodgate who have all been missing through injury as they continue to try and chase a top ten finish.

0
Al Habsi, Samuel, Andrew O'Brien, Cahill, Steinsson, Nolan, Campo, McCann, Joey O'Brien, Taylor, Rasiak.

0
Cerny, Hutton, Dawson, Woodgate, Gilberto, Zokora, Lennon, Jenas, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane.

0
Whilst the title is in the balance on one side of London at White Hart Lane Bolton are fighting for their Premier League survival looking for a second away victory in as many games. Today's referee is Mark Clattenburg.

Statistics

Tottenham Hotspur

Shots on target	13
Shots off target	13
Shots off bar/post	1
Fouls	6
Offsides	2
Corners	12

Bolton Wanderers

Shots on target	4
Shots off target	3
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	11
Offsides	2
Corners	3

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