Tommy Smith produced one of the misses of the season in the goalless draw with Tottenham at Vicarage Road to ensure Watford are still looking for their first Barclays Premiership victory after 10 matches.
Smith somehow shot over an open Tottenham goal in the eighth minute - a moment that summed up the struggles Watford are enduring as they try to adapt to life in the top flight.
This was the kind of game Watford need to win if they are to survive, because Spurs -with the exception of the excellent Aaron Lennon - lacked inspiration in attack.
They could have won the match had Lennon not found Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster in such fine form, but a Spurs win would not have been a just result, while Watford will bemoan Ashley Young's strike which was disallowed in the first half for a marginal offside.
Tottenham made nine changes to their starting line-up, with only Tom Huddlestone and Hossam Ghaly retained from the XI that started the midweek Carling Cup win at Milton Keynes Dons.
But it was Watford who made a flying start to the match, and came close to taking the lead inside 15 seconds.
From the kick-off, Gavin Mahon released Smith on the right, and the winger eluded Benoit Assou-Ekotto before sending in a cross that Michael Dawson did superbly to hook away from the head of Darius Henderson.
Smith was a constant threat for the home side on his return to the team - but only he will know how he failed to put Watford 1-0 up in the eighth minute.
After Lloyd Doyley had volleyed Jordan Stewart's left-wing cross back into the danger zone, Smith somehow managed to shoot over the crossbar from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
Watford were almost punished immediately when Lennon tricked his way past Doyley and Dan Shittu to set up an angled shot that Ben Foster saved smartly at his near post.
It was an extremely lively start to the match, and Foster denied Lennon again in the 11th minute, racing out of his goal to prevent the England winger finishing off Robbie Keane's excellent pass.
Watford persisted with the long-ball strategy that they have used all season, but Dawson was playing superbly at the back for Spurs and rarely missed a header.
Doyley was experiencing a far tougher time against the skilful Lennon, who came close for a third time in the 35th minute.
Lennon collected a pass from Ghaly and stepped inside Doyley before unleashing a 12-yard effort that Foster did well to push over the top.
Smith had the measure of Assou-Ekotto on the Watford right, but after beating him again in the 37th minute, the Hornets man waited too late before pulling the ball back, and Ledley King was able to clear for a corner.
Watford put the ball in the net four minutes before the interval, but Young was ruled to have been offside at the moment Bouazza released him through the middle.
Just as they had done at the beginning of the first half, Watford began the second period by creating a chance.
But as in the opening 45 minutes, they failed to take it, Smith inches away from applying a decisive touch to Young's low ball from the left across the face of the goal.
Spurs came even closer to scoring the game's opener in the 53rd minute. Ghaly's clever pass from the right found Keane, who rounded Foster before volleying the ball back into the middle, where Jay DeMerit produced a superb back-heeled clearance to concede a corner.
At the other end, Damien Francis' 20-yard effort took a deflection off Huddlestone and trickled just wide of the left post, while in the 57th minute Keane - given too much time and space inside the Watford area - saw a right-footed shot parried by Foster.
Lennon was frustrated by Foster once again in the 75th minute after Watford found themselves in a muddle at the back.
After Stewart had lost the ball, Lennon seized possession and bore down on Foster, but the on-loan goalkeeper was able to push Lennon's angled shot into the ground and was relieved to see it bounce over the crossbar.
In the final 10 minutes Jermaine Jenas and King both headed wide when unmarked inside the penalty area.
Tottenham boss Martin Jol ordered Aaron Lennon to be more clinical after the young winger wasted a number of chances in the 0-0 draw at Watford.
The result means Spurs are still looking for their first away win of the season in the Barclays Premiership - and their only goal on the road was an own-goal from Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel.
Watford also wasted a number of opportunities - including an incredible miss from Tommy Smith, who shot over an open goal in the eighth minute - but it was Lennon's wastefulness that frustrated Jol.
'Aaron had four great chances, and I would like him to score at least one out of four,' Jol said. 'But with Aaron, it will take one or two more years before he is in that position.
'His pace means he will always get chances to score, but that is something that will come with experience.'
Spurs have lost only one of their last six matches in the league, although they will have been disappointed not to have overcome a team who have yet to win a Premiership match this season.
But Spurs rode their luck at times at Vicarage Road. There was the incredible miss from Smith, but Ashley Young also had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision.
Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd insisted Young's goal should have been allowed to stand - and maintained his customary optimism despite his team's failure to collect three points.
Boothroyd said: 'I have seen Ashley Young's effort again on TV, and it was a goal.
'This was a solid performance. We are becoming a difficult team to beat, and it is another step up the league table.
'We are starting to keep clean sheets on a regular basis, which can only be a good thing.'
Although they are reasonably tight in defence - goalkeeper Ben Foster was outstanding once again - Watford struggle in attack.
They have managed only five goals from five home matches in the league - and three of those came in a single game against Fulham.
But Boothroyd insisted: 'I am still sleeping well at night. What is important is where we finish, not the position we are in now.
'We came into the Premiership as part of a fairy-tale, but now we are starting to wake up.
'I have seen enough to know that, when we start scoring, we will no longer be languishing at the wrong end of the table.
'It is only a matter of time, and we could have had two or three goals in the first five minutes today.'
Jol's are putting together a healthy unbeaten run but the Dutch boss admitted that the result could have gone against his players today.
He added: 'Watford put us on the back foot during the first 15 minutes, and they were very aggressive right from the kick-off.
'We could not take full control because of that, although we played better in the second half, and could have nicked it.
'Having said that, Watford might also have won, so full credit to them.'
League Cup - MK Dons 0 Tottenham 5: Defoe destroys Dons
Jermain Defoe scored twice to shrug off the controversy over his 'bite' on West Ham's Javier Mascherano and fire Tottenham into the fourth round of the Carling Cup.
Martin Jol's side brushed aside the challenge of League Two minnows MK Dons thanks to double strikes from Mido and Defoe and a late fifth from substitute Robbie Keane.
Mido put Spurs in front against the run of play in the 34th minute and then set up the second for Defoe eight minutes later as the Barclays Premiership side made the most of the gulf in quality between the two teams.
The England striker, the subject of widespread criticism for his apparent bite on the Argentinian's arm during Sunday's clash with West Ham at White Hart Lane, showed few ill effects from the furore over his action.
Defoe was booked for his misdemeanour but escaped further sanction from the Football Association due to FIFA's directives on retrospective punishment.
The England striker regretted retaliating his reaction but the incident looked completely forgotten as he added his second of the night five minutes after the restart.
Indeed, he could have scored a hat-trick before Mido added his third in two games, in the 59th minute.
Spurs began the game on the back of a five-match unbeaten run but it was the Dons who made the brighter start.
In the seventh minute, Dons striker Clive Platt forced Radek Cerny to save at the second attempt with a 20-yard low drive which bounced awkwardly in front of the Czech.
Defoe's intent was made clear as early as the 14th minute when he forced Adolfo Baines into a diving save with a stinging shot from the edge of the penalty area.
The home side continued to make life distinctly uncomfortable for Spurs with the pace of Izale McLeod and the height of Platt giving the Barclays Premiership club's defence much to contend with.
In the 26th minute Lloyd Dyer sent a free-kick over Cerny's crossbar but the left winger was enjoying a fine first half against Canada international Paul Stalteri.
A minute later, Dyer's pace left Tom Huddlestone with no option but to bring him down after he tried to capitalise on a clever pass from Dean Lewington.
The Spurs midfielder was shown the yellow card by referee Keith Stroud but the home side then squandered the subsequent free-kick.
And they paid the penalty in the 34th minute when the visitors went ahead against the run of play through Mido.
Mido, who scored the winner against West Ham on Sunday, was first to Reto Ziegler's left-wing cross as the home defence hesitated too long.
Three minutes later McLeod was prevented from scoring an equaliser by a great block tackle from Calum Davenport and then Cerny had to be alert as the striker tried his luck with a near-post effort.
But Mido turned provider in the 42nd minute as Spurs increased their lead.
The Egyptian's clever pass found Defoe in space and the England striker ran on to deftly lift the ball over Baines for Tottenham's second.
The half-time scoreline was more than a little harsh on the hosts, who had given their loftier opponents some anxious moments before Mido settled their nerves with the opener.
But any hopes of a comeback for MK Dons were shattered within five minutes of the restart when Spurs increased the lead.
The home defence appeared to have saved the situation when Hossam Ghaly's attempted cross was blocked but Huddlestone cleverly chipped the ball into the path of Defoe, who supplied an incisive finish.
Defoe's partnership with Mido was now beginning to function with some potency and in the 59th minute the pair combined to make it four.
Defoe once again sprinted clear of the home defence shot but his shots was saved well by Baines before the ball ran clear to Mido who despatched it into the net through a myriad of defenders.
In the 78th minute, MK Dons should have reduced the deficit but McLeod hit the post from eight yards and then sent the rebound over the crossbar much to the relief of a beaten Cerny.
Defoe was eventually replaced by Robbie Keane with 10 minutes remaining and the substitute added a fifth for Spurs in the final minute of normal time.
Tottenham heaped more misery on woeful West Ham thanks to a first-half strike from Egyptian striker Mido.
The former Roma hitman scored his first goal for the club since he returned to White Hart Lane on a permanent basis in the summer.
Mido struck seconds from the end of the first half when he collected a low cross from Edgar Davids and turned Anton Ferdinand before firing the ball home via the far post.
The victory was belated revenge for Tottenham's defeat to West Ham on the final day of last season when, amid suggestions of a food poisoning outbreak, they missed out on a place in the Champions League.
West Ham have much more pressing concerns though. They had been hoping to end a run of six straight defeats in order to relieve some of the pressure on their under-fire manager Alan Pardew.
But the hapless Hammers stretched their dismal run to seven matches and they have failed to score in any of them since the arrival of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez back in September.
The Hammers continue to plummet towards the foot of the table amid speculation over Pardew's future and lingering talk of a takeover bid.
Not surprisingly, with the club enveloped by such uneasiness, the Upton Park crisis showed no signs of easing against a dominant Spurs outfit that has now gone five games unbeaten in all competitions.
The home side, spurred by success against Besiktas in the UEFA Cup in midweek, should have taken the lead as early as the seventh minute.
Former West Ham favourite Jermain Defoe put his England team-mate Aaron Lennon in the clear but the teenager sidefooted wide of Green's left post from 18 yards.
Green, making his debut in goal for West Ham, then pulled off a superb save to deny Defoe an opener in the 20th minute.
Lennon, whose pace caused Paul Konchesky problems all afternoon, turned supplier this time with a fine run and cross into the penalty area.
Defoe looked certain to score until Green deflected his shot on to the roof of the net.
Two minutes later Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson was forced into action for the only time in the first 45 minutes.
Robinson, the butt of jokes since his England blunder against Croatia, dived to his right to stop Marlon Harewood's drive after the West Ham player had evaded Michael Dawson's weak challenge.
But despite Tottenham's possession, they laboured where it mattered and, Lennon apart, they struggled to find the definitive final ball when it was required.
West Ham, as their goalscoring form suggested, offered little ingenuity in attack. Their impotence in that department was further underlined in the 35th minute when Robinson punched the ball straight to Mascherano from a free-kick.
However, instead of troubling the England goalkeeper, his subsequent volley left a lot to be desired as it spiralled into crowd from 18 yards.
In the 41st minute Mascherano and Defoe were involved in a scuffle which then escalated into a scrum involving all 22 players.
Mascherano had fouled Defoe but the Spurs striker retaliated by appearing to lightly head butt the West Ham midfielder.
Players from both sides then became involved before Bennett restored order and booked both Defoe and Mascherano.
Seconds later Harewood followed them into Bennett's bad books by not retreating the full 10 yards as Spurs attempted to restart the game with a free-kick.
Mido put Spurs in front in the 45th minute when he collected a cross from Davids and turned to fire home off the far post only to receive a yellow card from Bennett for removing his shirt in celebration.
In the 48th minute, Spurs forced Green into another fine save when Jermaine Jenas sent his free-kick towards the top corner. The West Ham keeper managed to push the ball to safety as Spurs continued to probe for a second goal.
In the 59th minute, the hard-working Mido was inches away from his second of the afternoon.
A clever curling cross from Huddlestone was met by the Egyptian's outstretched boot but he could only divert the ball just wide of the far post.
Spurs continued to look the more likely to score and in the 74th minute Defoe squandered a great chance to put the game beyond doubt when his shot was saved by Green at the near post.
But his wastefulness went unpunished as Spurs left West Ham entrenched in a deepening crisis that may ultimately cost Pardew his job.
Tottenham head coach Martin Jol played down suggestions that England striker Jermain Defoe had bitten Javier Mascherano after a first-half goal from Mido left West Ham in a deepening crisis at the foot of the Barclays Premiership table.
Mascherano hauled down Defoe towards the end of the first half and the Spurs striker reacted by appearing to bite the West Ham midfielder on the arm.
But Jol claimed it was nothing more than 'playing nibbling' on Defoe's behalf and said his actions would have left no marks on the Argentinian.
Jol said: 'He was nibbling his arm - there will be no mark. Ask Mascherano if he has got a mark.
'It is part of the game. They kicked him three times from behind in 10 minutes and he wanted to show his frustration in a nice, comical way.'
West Ham boss Alan Pardew claimed he had not seen Defoe bite Mascherano but admitted that the former West Ham player was lucky to have remained on the pitch if that was the case.
Pardew said: 'Mascherano brought him down from behind and that was definitely a booking. I didn't quite see the reaction from Jermain but it looked like he gestured towards Mascherano but whether there was any contact I don't know.
'In today's game he could have gone. If he was sent off there, it would have changed the game.'
Jol praised his side's commitment and character after returning from a difficult trip to Turkey to face Besiktas in the UEFA Cup in midweek.
The north London side are now unbeaten in five games and Mido's goal, his first since returning to the club on a permanent basis in the summer, was the decider.
He collected a cross from Edgar Davids and turned Anton Ferdinand before firing the ball home off the far post in stoppage time.
Jol declared: 'I was very pleased with our commitment and character. It was a great result for us.
'It is always difficult coming back after playing in Europe and then playing this type of game.
'We were really up for this game but it is not easy after all the travelling.'
Spurs were always on top thanks to the pace and trickery of England teenager Aaron Lennon but Jol admitted his final ball was not always of the required standard.
Jol added: 'His final ball was not always good. It is exciting stuff for the crowd but not for me We had opportunities to play simple but the final ball was not good and we made it difficult for ourselves at times.
West Ham's crisis continues unabated with Pardew's side now having lost seven games on the trot.
They have not scored for 668 minutes and lie second from bottom at the foot of the table with Pardew's future under intense speculation along with rumours of a takeover bid.
But, with a tricky visit to Chesterfield looming in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night, Pardew admitted they have to face up to the situation they find themselves in.
Pardew: 'We have had some unusual circumstances and that's compounded the issue but I thought our effort for a team on the back of our results was 100%.
'I could not fault the effort. But we just need that confidence and quality around the box which is lacking at the moment.
'We lack a bit of balance in wide areas and without injured Matty Etherington and Lee Bowyer, that affected us when we were chasing the game.
'I don't know about relegation battle. But after nine games we find ourselves in the bottom three, therefore we need to roll our sleeves up and make sure we stick together.'
Dimitar Berbatov began repaying some of his £10.9million transfer fee with an inspirational display as Tottenham made a perfect start to their UEFA Cup group campaign.
Berbatov showed vision to set up the opening goal for Hossam Ghaly but saved the best for himself with a stunning 63rd-minute strike.
The Bulgarian marksman, a summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, rounded two Besiktas defenders on a marauding run and then beat goalkeeper Vedran Runje before finishing coolly.
It was a breathtaking goal which helped make a mockery of predictions Spurs would be lucky to leave Istanbul with a point.
Fears of the effect Besiktas' partisan home support would have on Martin Jol's side proved unfounded as although deafeningly noisy at times, the atmosphere at the Inonu Stadium was never hostile.
Spurs rose to the occasion magnificently, looking solid at the back and showing the greater fluency in attack - especially in the first half when Besiktas rarely threatened.
Indeed the Turks - managed by former Fulham boss Jean Tigana - only mustered two memorable efforts all night with Marcio blasting one of them over the crossbar.
Spurs, led by Ledley King who had recovered from his knee injury, were more inventive and displayed none of the finishing problems which have hampered their Premiership form.
This victory has seen them successfully negotiate arguably the toughest assignment of their group B campaign and they now have a great chance of qualifying for the next round.
Spurs settled quickly and Jermaine Jenas threaded a ball through for Berbatov - but Gokhan Zan cleared the danger.
The visitors appeared to got the breakthrough they were after in the 12th minute when some slick passing found Danny Murphy.
The former Liverpool and Charlton midfielder forced Vedran Runje to save, only for Berbatov to smash home the rebound. But the flag had gone up for offside and Spurs' endeavour went unrewarded.
Paul Robinson came out quickly to deal with a floating cross destined for Marcio and then Fahri Tatan had a powerful shot blocked by King as Besiktas continued to press.
Ricardinho, who spent an unsuccessful loan spell with Middlesbrough three seasons ago, fired a lethal inswinging cross with Besiktas players queueing up to meet it - but King was first to the ball.
Ibrahim Toraman was making inroads down the right with Benoit Assou-Ekotto struggling to contain him and the Besiktas midfielder set up a good chance for Burak Yilmaz which was wasted.
The home crowd were stunned into silence in the 32nd minute when Spurs took the lead with Berbatov setting up the goal, sending the 800 or so visiting fans into rapture.
The Bulgarian found Ghaly with a beautifully weighted pass and the Egyptian midfielder pulled the trigger only for Runje to save.
But once again the Besiktas goalkeeper had failed to keep hold of the ball and it squirted back out and rebounded off Ghaly into the goal.
Robinson showed fine reflexes to keep out a powerful free kick from Yilmaz which he clipped high in the air, making a second save as the ball descended with several Besiktas players lurking.
Berbatov released Murphy, who forced a save from Runje, while at the other end Marcio blazed a great opportunity high over the crossbar.
Marcio briefly threatened for Besiktas until he was closed down by Pascal Chimbonda and then a Ghaly cross was easy collected by Runje at the other end.
Ricardinho was flagged for offside following a defence-splitting pass from Sedar Kurtulus in an otherwise quiet opening to the second half.
Kurtulus went close from just outside the area before Marcio was outjumped by Michael Dawson as Besiktas began to look more purposeful in attack.
Spurs had hardly had a sniff so far in the second half but magnificent skills from Berbatov sent them 2-0 ahead in the 63rd minute.
Keane released the Bulgarian who beat Baki Mercimek and Tatan before finally outwitting Runje and finding the back of the net.
Spurs nearly doubled their lead shortly after when Berbatov centred to Keane - only for the Republic of Ireland captain to be denied by the crossbar.
Besiktas controlled possession in the closing stages but their lack of penetration meant Spurs' two-goal lead remained comfortably intact.
Martin Jol hailed Dimitar Berbatov after the Bulgarian striker fired Tottenham to a 2-0 victory over Besiktas.
Jol said: 'Berbatov showed some flashes of his quality. We've always said if our strikers can make a difference then we will be a good team.
'Berbatov is the extra quality we have up front. It was a terrific goal and hopefully it will break the spell as we have struggled to score this season.'
He added: 'Our defence was excellent as well. We were too strong to concede goals. If we score goals as well then that makes us tough to beat.'
Most of the pre-match build-up centred on the hostile reception Spurs could expect at the Inonu Stadium but the Besiktas fans were noisy rather than intimidating.
They showed their sportsmanship by applauding Spurs from the pitch - a gesture that merited warm praise from Jol.
He said: 'To be acknowledged like that is exactly what you want, not having things thrown at you. For something like this to happen in Turkey is evidence we were rated tonight.
'We wanted to silence the crowd but after a couple of minutes we thought it would be impossible to silence a crowd like that. They showed some respect.
'The Turkish are fanatical but they showed today they can be good supporters. If you applaud the away team it says it all.
'In the past a few things happened and that was probably why we didn't bring as many supporters but it should be like it was today.'
Besiktas have never beaten an English club in Istanbul and Jol revealed that was used as motivation.
'I'm very satisfied with the three points. It was a very good experience for us. They were a very phonetical crowd, a very good crowd,' he said.
'We said before the game let's enjoy it because that's the main thing. We fought for every yard and started off very well, controlling the first 20 minutes.
'It's difficult to play against a proud side like Besiktas. We scored the second goal at the right moment and then had three or four chances after that.
'We were drawn in one of the best groups and three points away at Besiktas is a great result for us.
'Besiktas don't lose much in Europe, although we knew we'd be the first English team to lose over here so that helped spur us on.'
Besiktas coach Jean Tigana felt Berbatov was the difference between the sides.
He said: 'His goal was fantastic. When you have a player like that it is a lot easier to win. He can change a game by himself.
'Tottenham were very good. They were strong in midfield and we could not find a solution to that.'
Skipper Gareth Barry's superb strike rescued Aston Villa's unbeaten record and spared striker Juan Pablo Angel's blushes in a pulsating 1-1 draw with Tottenham, who finished with 10 men.
Angel sent his spot-kick wide after Spurs defender Calum Davenport had been red-carded for a professional foul and then with 14 minutes remaining headed a Jermain Defoe corner into his own net.
But Barry salvaged a draw, although Spurs will take satisfaction from gaining their first away point of the campaign.
Tottenham were comfortably the better side in the opening 45 minutes, with Danny Murphy and Jermaine Jenas impressing in the centre of the park, while Defoe looked sharp up front.
Former Arsenal player Stuart Taylor, who was deputising for shoulder injury victim Thomas Sorensen, was far the busier of the two keepers.
But Villa, for whom Stiliyan Petrov caught the eye in the centre of the park, came more into the game after the interval and almost won it in a grand finale.
Paul Robinson was greeted by a crescendo of boos when he took his place in the Spurs goal in front of the Holte End after his blunder for England in Croatia.
The first save of note came from Taylor after 15 minutes when he beat out a powerful effort from the edge of the box by Defoe, who managed to create a yard of space for himself.
Hossam Ghaly was spoken to by referee Martin Atkinson after a late challenge on Petrov, before Villa tested Robinson for the first time.
Baros made space down the right before turning an inviting ball back into the path of Angel, whose first-time drive was gathered by Robinson.
Michael Dawson missed a golden chance to put Spurs ahead after 21 minutes after McCann was adjudged to have fouled Didier Zokora.
Murphy's free-kick was flicked on by Jermaine Jenas to Dawson, who was unmarked barely a yard from goal.
But he sent his header against the base of a post and the rebound hit Villa defender Liam Ridgewell and ended up in the arms of a relieved Taylor.
The visitors were starting to get on top with Murphy and Jenas impressing in the centre of the park.
Another Murphy free-kick caused problems to the Villa defence and a Ghaly volley was turned aside by Taylor.
Defoe was looking sharp and Taylor was forced to beat out another effort after he had dispossessed Hughes.
Taylor clung onto Jenas' thumping drive, before Villa created their best chance of the opening half in injury time.
Baros spun past Davenport after receiving a McCann pass and found himself with only Robinson to beat, but he hesitated and the opportunity was squandered.
Dawson needed treatment in the opening seconds of the second period after accidentally being caught on the side of the head by Angel and he was eventually substituted by Paul Stalteri.
Pascal Chimbonda moved into the centre of the Spurs defence alongside Davenport, with Stalteri slotting in at right-back.
Ghaly was yellow-carded for bringing down Baros in full flight as Martin O'Neill's side began to knock the ball around in more confident fashion.
Spurs boss Martin Jol brought on Aaron Lennon after 59 minutes in place of Ghaly for his first senior action since recovering from a knee ligament injury.
Gabriel Agbonlahor almost scored in the 69th minute when he met a cross from substitute Didier Agathe, but Robinson was alert and managed to parry the ball away.
Davenport was sent off after 73 minutes after being adjudged to have committed a professional foul on Agbonlahor in the box.
But Angel let Tottenham off the hook by sending the spot-kick wide of Robinson's goal.
Then, in the 76th minute, Angel headed a harmless-looking corner from Defoe into his own net, although Taylor should have come and claimed the ball.
Back came Villa and Barry's superb strike rescued a share of the spoils with nine minutes remaining, before Robinson beat out Angel's fierce drive.
Tottenham manager Martin Jol was left to reflect on a string of missed first-half opportunities as a late Gareth Barry goal earned Aston Villa a 1-1 draw to protect their unbeaten record.
Tottenham dominated the opening 45 minutes but poor finishing and several fine saves by Stuart Taylor kept the home side in the hunt.
The visitors finally went ahead through an own goal by Juan Pablo Angel - just 90 seconds after he had missed a penalty in an incident which saw Spurs defender Calum Davenport sent off.
But Barry extended Villa's run without defeat to eight games with a rocket shot after producing another man of the match performance.
Jol said: 'In the first half we controlled play and we should have scored. We didn't and we were left with that awkward feeling again.
'We did well against Liverpool and Manchester United in a similar way but we have to start putting the ball in the net.
'The second half was totally different. We had to reorganise twice at the back with Michael Dawson going off injured and Calum Davenport being sent off.
'They put us under pressure and we could have lost in the end but overall I can live with a point and that opening 45 minutes we looked a decent team again.'
Jol felt the spot kick awarded by referee Martin Atkinson was harsh with Davenport being red-carded for bringing down Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor.
He said: 'It was difficult for the referee to make a decision but you can see on television that it was no penalty.'
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill will consider whether to relieve Angel of his penalty duties. The Colombian also had a spot-kick saved in the Carling Cup tie with Scunthorpe, although he netted from the rebound.
O'Neill said: 'The missing of the penalty was bad enough but then he puts the ball in his own net straight after. It is 90 seconds Juan will want to forget.
'Will he take the next penalty? We will have to think about that one.'
O'Neill admitted his side only started to fire on all cylinders once they had gone behind with just under a quarter of an hour remaining.
He said: 'Tottenham were the better side in the first half when we didn't get enough momentum going. We didn't play well enough until we went behind.
'From that moment on we were stirred into playing some of the football we have been showing this season and Gareth Barry scored a fantastic goal.
'We had more chances in the last 12 to 15 minutes than we had in the rest of the game but I'm delighted because we could have packed it in for the day after going behind but we kept going.'
Steven McClaren's tactical gamble backfired in spectacular fashion as England were beaten by Croatia in Zagreb.
England looked uneasy in their new 3-5-2 formation - but the goal which killed their hopes had nothing to do with tactics.
It was an own goal from Gary Neville, 22 minutes from time, a back-pass which hit a bobble on the pitch and fooled Paul Robinson.
The England goalkeeper attempted a clearance but the ball jumped over his foot and into the net, and gave Slaven Bilic's team a two-goal advantage they never looked likely to lose.
Croatia's proud record of never losing a qualifying game at home did not come under threat from the Three Lions.
Neville's own goal was comical but England fans were not laughing after their team emerged with just one point to show from their latest two qualifiers.
Eduardo da Silva had headed Croatia's first goal after 61 minutes and the home team were well worth their lead.
They had dominated the game from the start and England had Robinson to thank for taking them into the half-time break on level terms.
McClaren reverted to a more familiar 4-4-2 system later on but, by then, it was too late and Group E is now wide open. Croatia are top on goal difference with seven points - the same as Israel, Macedonia and England.
Russia, who beat Estonia, moved to within two points of the top.
A qualification group which looked straightforward suddenly looks very tricky indeed.
England's next Group E fixture is in March, away to Israel, who entertain Croatia next month.
McClaren, missing several senior players through injury and suspension, had tried to explain his sudden change in tactics before the game.
He claimed it was in an attempt to ``get the ball forward more quickly'' and make sure there was plenty of experience on the pitch.
The manager insisted he was not taking a gamble but England's defence, rock solid for six games, looked distinctly uncomfortable from the kick-off.
A string of chances were wasted by Bilic's team inside the first half hour as McClaren's back-three traded confused glances.
Ferdinand collected an early booking, dragging Mladen Petric to the floor after the striker had given him the slip.
Robinson was in action in the sixth minute, when Brazilian-born striker Da Silva drifted between Jamie Carragher and John Terry.
The England goalkeeper denied Da Silva and then produced an excellent save from Niko Kranjcar, in the 26th minute.
Left-winger Kranjcar should have scored when Milan Rapaic found him unmarked with a cross from Croatia's right.
But, luckily for England, the new Portsmouth signing placed his volley too close to Robinson.
Rapaic feasted on the space behind Ashley Cole as the home side enjoyed a purple patch before the break.
Ferdinand blocked another effort from Kranjcar, five minutes later, and Robinson flew to his left to turn yet another effort wide from the dangerous Portsmouth player.
England rode the storm before the break but were back under pressure straight from the restart.
Cole blocked a shot from Rapaic at the expense of a corner and, when the kick was fired to the far post, Petric found himself completely unmarked.
He met the ball with a firm header, destined for the top corner, but Robinson reacted well, to push the effort over the bar.
England, who offered very little adventure in the first half, found a way through the Croatian defence with the simplest of moves in the 54th minute.
Peter Crouch flicked a long ball towards Wayne Rooney, who muscled past his marker but could keep his shot down.
That moment of encouragement for England was soon eclipsed by Da Silva's goal.
Niko Kovac picked up the ball on the Croatia left and swung a deep cross into the penalty area where Da Silva planted a looping header over Robinson.
It was the first goal conceded by an England goalkeeper in match play since Henrik Larsson's last-minute equaliser for Sweden in the final World Cup group game.
Zagreb's Maksimir Stadium erupted in celebration. Flares were lit and firecrackers thrown from the stands.
Robinson was picking the ball out of the net again in the 68th minute when Neville's backpass bobbled over his foot and rolled into the net.
It was a cruel blow for the Tottenham man, who composed himself well to make an excellent save from Luka Modric two minutes later.
McClaren reacted by making a triple substitution.
On came Jermain Defoe, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Kieran Richardson and off went Crouch, Scott Parker and Carragher. England went back to 4-4-2 but it was too late.
Steve McClaren admits he can turn angry if he has to and this lame performance from England must have tested his temper.
McClaren's team took the first stumble of the Euro 2008 campaign, dropping two points at home to Macedonia.
They remain top of Group E thanks to Israel's draw in Russia but now face a big test away to Croatia on Wednesday.
Steven Gerrard will be suspended from the game in Zagreb after his second yellow card in the qualifiers.
Rio Ferdinand must also be a serious doubt after missing the Old Trafford stalemate with a back injury.
Ferdinand pulled out before the match and was replaced by Ledley King but it was the absence of Owen Hargreaves which was most keenly felt by the team.
Michael Carrick came into midfield and McClaren stuck with his 4-4-2 system but England missed the energy and bite of Hargreaves.
The England boss has some serious thinking to do before Wednesday.
His first three games had gone according to plan with easy wins over Greece and Andorra and a 1-0 win in Macedonia last month.
But the spirited Macedonians hit back at Old Trafford. England's first half was awful, a reminder of some of their worst performances from the World Cup finals in Germany.
Things improved after the break but a full-house at Old Trafford was not impressed.
It was the biggest crowd for an England home game outside Wembley, at 72,062, but they jeered as the players trooped off.
Srecko Katanec's team from the former Yugoslav republic proved they were no mugs with a gutsy effort in Skopje last month.
They lost only to a Peter Crouch volley which hit the bar and bounced a foot over the line and finished that game strongly.
It clearly did wonders for their self-belief because, after settling into unfamiliar surroundings at Old Trafford, they continued to cause problems for McClaren's team.
Wayne Rooney performed a couple of early tricks to please the crowd but his impact was negligible.
It was his first England appearance since his red card in the World Cup quarter-final and boss McClaren claimed he was ready to 'explode'.
He simmered for 75 minutes without making much of an impression and was replaced by Jermain Defoe.
Macedonia gave England an early warning when Goran Pandev jinked into the penalty area and smashed a shot into the side-netting.
Robert Petrov arrived late to meet a right-wing cross from Vlade Lazarevski but fired his volley wide.
Frank Lampard came closest for England, bursting into the penalty box through the centre, but keeper Jane Nikolovski dashed from his line to smother the chance.
Nikolovski produced another top-class save as the game came to life, three minutes after the restart, when John Terry latched onto an inswinging free-kick from Stewart Downing.
Terry's header was firm and arrowed down towards the bottom corner but the Macedonian keeper sprang to his right to tip it round the post.
Gerrard was unlucky to be booked in the 49th minute. He won the ball in a sliding tackle but referee Markus Merk had a different interpretation and showed his yellow card.
The Liverpool skipper was booked in Skopje, three minutes from time, and will miss Wednesday's game in Croatia. He held his head in his hands.
McClaren's team were much more daring in the second half. They lifted the tempo but often looked vulnerable at the back as a result.
Aleksander Mitreski was only inches too high with a header from a corner and King was forced to backtrack quickly to deny sub Aco Stojkov.
Gary Neville, winning his 83rd cap, has never scored for England but a glorious chance fell to him on the hour.
Crouch's diving header forced another good save from Nikolovski but the rebound spilled to Neville on the right.
The angle was tight but the full-back lifted his side-footer too high and it shaved the bar on the way into the Stretford End. Crouch headed Ashley Cole's cross wide and then the big Liverpool hitman found Rooney with a delightful pass.
Rooney tried to lift his shot over the diving keeper but Nikolovski stuck up an arm to keep it out.
Shaun Wright-Phillips came on with 20 minutes left and made an instant impact with a run and shot which was saved.
Cole cleared from the England goal-line when Nikolce Noveski beat Robinson with a shot.
Lampard and Crouch went close from distance and Gerrard rattled the crossbar with five minutes left.
Nikolovski denied Crouch once again before the final whistle and preserved a precious point for Macedonia.
Andrea presents and produces a wide variety of Channel NewsAsia’s news programmes, Asia Today and World Today. She also hosts the current affairs show, What Men Want, Really.
Before joining the channel in 2004, Andrea was working at Singapore’s Public Service Commission, Prime Minister's Office; and the Standards Productivity and Innovation Board.
Born in Singapore, she spent her formative years there before leaving home for the US at age 16 to attend Mills College -- an all-women liberal-arts school in Bay Area, California.
With a thirst for new experiences, Andrea packed her bags and ventured out to the New England state of Massachusetts in her junior year.
There, she had her first experience presenting a live programme when she hosted a talk-show for the university's television channel, tackling controversial issues like Roe v. Wade, xenophobia, and the culture of hazing, for a student population of about 24,000.
She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, focusing on broadcast journalism, media and politics, and the impact of American media.
Andrea continued with higher education at Boston University where she earned a Master’s Degree in Education, specialising in human development studies.
In addition to being bilingual in English and Mandarin, Andrea speaks conversational Shanghainese.
Tottenham's French midfielder Didier Zokora took a dive to earn a match-winning penalty in the first half after Spurs had taken a 42-second lead to break their Premiership goal-drought.
Danny Murphy slotted home his first for the club with less than a minute on the clock to end seven hours and 13 minutes without a Tottenham goal in the league.
But it was the second goal, 33 minutes later, which proved the real talking point at White Hart Lane as Martin Jol's team handed out a second successive defeat to early leaders Portsmouth - a side starting with three former Spurs players and another on the bench.
Pedro Mendes was the victim of a blatant injustice for Spurs' penalty. True, he should not have even put in a challenge on Zokora who was going nowhere in the area, but when he stuck out a leg, the Frenchman fell theatrically over it and referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot.
Jermain Defoe, back in the side as one of five changes from the team that scrambled past UEFA Cup outsiders Slavia Prague in midweek, confidently put away the penalty even though David James guessed the direction of his shot correctly.
And, although Nwankwo Kanu headed his fifth goal of the season five minutes before the break, it was not quite enough for Pompey although Andy Cole had a chance which he miskicked soon after coming on for the big Nigerian in the 72nd minute.
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp revealed that referee Chris Foy apologised to him for awarding the dubious penalty which sent his team crashing to a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham.
But rather than criticise the match officials, Redknapp insisted football should embrace new technology to ensure such mistakes do not happen.
Tottenham's Ivory Coast midfielder Didier Zokora fell inside the penalty area, apparently without being touched by Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes, in the 34th minute at White Hart Lane.
Redknapp insists Zokora 'dived', but Tottenham head coach Martin Jol claimed his player was simply 'off-balance'.
Foy awarded a penalty from which Jermain Defoe scored Tottenham's second goal, but Redknapp said: 'The referee is embarrassed.
'He came to me at half-time and said, `Harry, I'm sorry, I've made a big mistake'. But what can I do about it now?
'The boy has dived and I saw that on the screen 10 seconds before the penalty was taken.
'But if the fourth official, who is wired up the referee, had a monitor at the side of the pitch, he could tell him that he wasn't touched.
'The ref has gone home knowing people will be saying what a giant ricket he has made, but he didn't do it on purpose. It was just a mistake.
'The referees need help out there and I don't know why we don't do something about it. It is simple. A player dives and it has cost us dearly. We certainly deserved something from the game.'
Redknapp recalled the August 23 incident when Mendes was caught by a forearm challenge from Manchester City's Ben Thatcher who was booked for the offence - but later suspended for eight matches.
He said: 'It is no different to that incident. The fourth official with a monitor could have told the ref what really happened.
'I don't know if people dive more in football now. It has always happened but that's no consolation when you have lost to something like that.
'We started sloppily and went a goal down in 40-odd seconds but Spurs were nervous after a few dicky results and we were not too worried.
'But the second goal made things very hard although we would have had a point but for (Paul) Robinson's great save at the end.'
Tottenham manager Martin Jol tried to defend Zokora, his £2million summer signing from Saint-Etienne, but admitted: 'It is clear he wasn't touched.'
Jol added: 'He (Zokora) said he was off-balance and assured me he didn't dive. I think he was off-balance. He is always going in and often looks unbalanced.
'I know this player and I have got to believe him if he said he was off-balance but I can understand why Harry Redknapp is upset because I have never seen an incident quite like this in this country.'
Zokora, though, celebrated the award of a penalty when Foy pointed to the spot and Jol said: 'That was because we were under pressure for results.
'They wanted to win and so, of course, they were happy to have a penalty.'
Jol added: 'I've been upset by penalties in the last two years. You win some - you lose them. But I think we deserved to win on the number of chances we created.
'Portsmouth were the better side in the second half but we were on top in the first and it is hard coming back from a European game on Thursday (Tottenham beat Slavia Prague in the UEFA Cup).'
Jol made a point of putting an arm around former Tottenham skipper Sol Campbell at the end of the match.
Campbell was jeered by the home crowd throughout, because of his Arsenal connections.
Jol said: 'I'm not somebody who can make the world better but Sol did well and everybody respects him - I think even our crowd respects him, really.'
I love Football...it is life & death....It is more than life & death...Spurs fan since 14 May 1981...FA Cup Final....
我在933启播时就开始听了。。是1990年1月1日,早上9点33开播，第一首歌好像是黄露仪的哭砂。。。。。
好多年了。。。
