Tottenham 4 Aston Villa 4
Younes Kaboul struck in injury-time to rescue a point for Tottenham and beleaguered boss Martin Jol in an epic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.
Dimitar Berbatov opened the scoring for Spurs but two goals from Martin Laursen edged the visitors ahead and Gabriel Agbonlahor and Craig Gardner added to the lead.
But Pascal Chimbonda and Robbie Keane pulled goals back and deep into added time Kaboul found the top corner to level the scores.
Jol appeared a man on the brink after Tottenham fell 4-1 behind but his side dug deep to earn a point on the evening of their 125th anniversary celebrations.
Martin O'Neill's men had not scored away from home in the Premier League this season prior to this contest.
But they were gifted a healthy advantage by Spurs' leaky defence - with England goalkeeper Paul Robinson having a shocking night.
Robinson has appeared short on confidence at times this season and he should have kept out two strikes from Laursen. In fairness, he had little chance with precise finishes from Agbonlahor and Gardner.
Nothing has gone right for Jol since Spurs officials met Sevilla coach Juande Ramos at the start of the season - but French youngster Kaboul popped up just when it appeared his bad luck had continued.
Had Bolton and Derby not been playing each other at the weekend, Spurs may have gone into the match bottom of the table, and their first-half performance was worthy of a team at the basement.
They took the opportunity to parade their legends and the cups they have won in their illustrious history, but a second league win of the season will do at the moment.
The legends were introduced onto the pitch but they were given a first-half horror show after Berbatov had given them the lead.
They were given early warnings, with Villa doing their homework and exposing Spurs' weakness at crosses and set-pieces.
Ashley Young, who was linked with Spurs less than a year ago, tested Robinson with a low cross-shot and a swerving drive, while Wilfred Bouma's cross just evaded Agbonlahor at the far post.
The goalscoring started in the 20th minute and Laursen was in the thick of the action.
The Dane failed to track Berbatov and the Bulgaria striker headed powerfully home from Tom Huddlestone's corner, his second goal of the season.
Laursen made up for it immediately. Robinson came to claim Gareth Barry's corner but dropped it, with Laursen prodding home after a ricochet off Chimbonda.
A wretched injury record had deprived Laursen of action over the last few years, and he seemed intent on making up for, next getting lifted off his feet when blocking Aaron Lennon's shot from the edge of the area.
Laursen then got his second of the game in the 33rd minute. Young took a quick free-kick to Barry on the left, his cross was met by Zat Knight and struck Laursen before finding the net.
Agbonlahor made it 3-1 five minutes from half-time when he won the ball off Michael Dawson after a Luke Moore flick-on, twisted into the penalty area and finished neatly, low into the far corner of Robinson's net.
It could have got worse for Robinson just after the break when he appeared to bring down Agbonlahor after failing to hold Young's free-kick, but referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Jol responded by bringing on Jermain Defoe for Teemu Tainio but they were three goals adrift just before the hour mark after Kaboul tripped Agbonlahor on the edge of the penalty area.
Gardner smashed the ball around the wall and into the far post.
While Robinson was having a shocker, Scott Carson looked in control at the other end and saved well with his feet when Defoe was sent through.
Spurs pulled one back when Defoe hit the post from Gareth Bale's cross and Chimbonda followed up.
Marlon Harewood almost embarrassed Robinson by charging down a kick, but the striker then brought down substitute Darren Bent at the other end.
Keane tucked away the penalty to set up an exciting finish, with Kaboul slamming home in stoppage time after Villa failed to clear a corner.
Dimitar Berbatov opened the scoring for Spurs but two goals from Martin Laursen edged the visitors ahead and Gabriel Agbonlahor and Craig Gardner added to the lead.
But Pascal Chimbonda and Robbie Keane pulled goals back and deep into added time Kaboul found the top corner to level the scores.
Jol appeared a man on the brink after Tottenham fell 4-1 behind but his side dug deep to earn a point on the evening of their 125th anniversary celebrations.
Martin O'Neill's men had not scored away from home in the Premier League this season prior to this contest.
But they were gifted a healthy advantage by Spurs' leaky defence - with England goalkeeper Paul Robinson having a shocking night.
Robinson has appeared short on confidence at times this season and he should have kept out two strikes from Laursen. In fairness, he had little chance with precise finishes from Agbonlahor and Gardner.
Nothing has gone right for Jol since Spurs officials met Sevilla coach Juande Ramos at the start of the season - but French youngster Kaboul popped up just when it appeared his bad luck had continued.
Had Bolton and Derby not been playing each other at the weekend, Spurs may have gone into the match bottom of the table, and their first-half performance was worthy of a team at the basement.
They took the opportunity to parade their legends and the cups they have won in their illustrious history, but a second league win of the season will do at the moment.
The legends were introduced onto the pitch but they were given a first-half horror show after Berbatov had given them the lead.
They were given early warnings, with Villa doing their homework and exposing Spurs' weakness at crosses and set-pieces.
Ashley Young, who was linked with Spurs less than a year ago, tested Robinson with a low cross-shot and a swerving drive, while Wilfred Bouma's cross just evaded Agbonlahor at the far post.
The goalscoring started in the 20th minute and Laursen was in the thick of the action.
The Dane failed to track Berbatov and the Bulgaria striker headed powerfully home from Tom Huddlestone's corner, his second goal of the season.
Laursen made up for it immediately. Robinson came to claim Gareth Barry's corner but dropped it, with Laursen prodding home after a ricochet off Chimbonda.
A wretched injury record had deprived Laursen of action over the last few years, and he seemed intent on making up for, next getting lifted off his feet when blocking Aaron Lennon's shot from the edge of the area.
Laursen then got his second of the game in the 33rd minute. Young took a quick free-kick to Barry on the left, his cross was met by Zat Knight and struck Laursen before finding the net.
Agbonlahor made it 3-1 five minutes from half-time when he won the ball off Michael Dawson after a Luke Moore flick-on, twisted into the penalty area and finished neatly, low into the far corner of Robinson's net.
It could have got worse for Robinson just after the break when he appeared to bring down Agbonlahor after failing to hold Young's free-kick, but referee Mike Dean waved play on.
Jol responded by bringing on Jermain Defoe for Teemu Tainio but they were three goals adrift just before the hour mark after Kaboul tripped Agbonlahor on the edge of the penalty area.
Gardner smashed the ball around the wall and into the far post.
While Robinson was having a shocker, Scott Carson looked in control at the other end and saved well with his feet when Defoe was sent through.
Spurs pulled one back when Defoe hit the post from Gareth Bale's cross and Chimbonda followed up.
Marlon Harewood almost embarrassed Robinson by charging down a kick, but the striker then brought down substitute Darren Bent at the other end.
Keane tucked away the penalty to set up an exciting finish, with Kaboul slamming home in stoppage time after Villa failed to clear a corner.
posted by dgarden at 12:45 pm
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