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Fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur travelled to Birmingham to take on fifth placed Aston Villa on Saturday night in a match that promised a lot from two sides hoping to break the Big 4's hold on the Champions League qualification places. A highly entertaining encounter encounter ended rather predictably in a 1-1 stalemate, with Michael Dawson's 77th minute volley cancelling out Gabriel Agbonlahor's opener.

Aston Villa started with an attacking 4-4-2 line up with Gabriel Abgonlahor and John Carew up front, with Ashley Young and James Milner deployed on the left and right wing respectively. Nigel Reo Coker replaced Steve Sidwell from the side that drew 1-1 at Burnley last week as he joined Stiliyan Petrov in the centr e of a deep lying midfield. Habib Beye came in for an injured Stephen Warnock, with Luke Young shifting along to left back to accomodate the Senegalese international on the right.

Spurs too lined up 4-4-2 and made only a single change from last weekend with Sebastien Bassong in for Jonathan Woodgate. That meant that the bulk of the side which won 9-1 against Wigan at White Hart Lane was retained leaving Robbie Keane and Jermaine Jenas warming the bench. The Jermain Defoe - Peter Crouch little man - big man combination started up front with Wilson Palacios and Tom Huddlestone bossing the center of the park.

The first chance of the game fell at the feet of Spurs in the 4th minute. Benoit Assou-Ekotto found Niko Kranjcar just outside the box with an accurate pass from the left wing. The Croatian's first touch allowed him to strike the ball on the volley which Brad Friedel pushed away for a corner.

But it was the home side who dominated the early excahnges and were rewarded with a lead in the 10th minute as Ashley Young's corner was headed goalwards by Carlos Cuellar. A mixture of Heurelho Gomes and the right arm of Assou-Ekotto kept the ball out, but a a goal mouth melee ensued with Abgonlahor bundling the ball over the line alongwith two defenders to give Villa the lead.

Aston Villa then maintained the momentum as Ashley Young and James Milner broke free down the wings putting in some dangerous crosses causing the Tottenham defence some anxious moments. Abgonlahor especially looked sharp as his pace and excellent movement stretched the Tottenham back line.

The Londoners came close to equalizing in the 21st minute as Tom Huddlestone's free kick was blocked by Brad Friedel straight to Defoe, but last week's five-goal wonder could not put the chance away allowing the American international a second save. The danger was not yet over for Villa as Dawson unleashed a powerful shot only to be denied by a goal line clearance by Cuellar.

A 28th minute Palacios effort almost found its way to the back of the net as a deflection made the ball dip rather nastily on Friedel, forcing him  to tip it over the bar.

A frustrated Tottenham side walked back to the dressing room trailing by a 1-0 score line at the end of the first half, edging closer with some more half-chances coming the way of Jermain Defoe..

Tottenham started the second half brightly as Kranjcar's volley was denied by a brilliant save frpm Friedel in the 50th minute. Peter Crouch set up Kranjcar with an excellent first touch allowing him to fire a venomous shot after an impeccable free flowing move had left the Cotasian international free just outside the box. It was only Friedel's outstretched hands that allowed the scoreline to remain in Villa's favor.

From then on the game seemed to have shifted into the Villa half as Spurs patiently tried to break down their opponent's defence. Villa absorbed the pressure, attempting to play on the counter, however the home side saw such little of the ball, that they failed to test the keeper even once in the second half.

Tottenham fans' cheers were cut short in the 72nd minute when they thought their side had scored only to be denied by the referee who correctly spotted a hand ball committed by Defoe as he controlled the ball before putting it into the back of the net.

Spurs labored hard and salvation came for them from the most unexpected of sources as Michael Dawson scored his first Premier League goal of the season to level the scores at 1-1. Assou-Ekotto crossed the ball to Dawson at the edge of the box and his first touch set it up nicely for him to hammer the ball into the top corner, leaving Friedel no chance.

The onslaught on the Villa goal continued as the visitors held on to possession for long periods of time. Harry Redknapp intentions in going for the kill looked clear as he brought on Robbie Keane for Niko Kranjcar in the 78th minute.

Emile Heskey, who came on for John Carew a bit earlier almost gave the lead back to Villa in the 90th minute as he headed Ashley Young's ball at full stretch only to see it land on the roof of the net. Three minutes of stoppage time was announced as both sides continued their search for a winner without success. The referee blew the whistle much to the relief of the Villa fans who had just seen a Defoe effort go wide as the match ended 1-1.

Both sides will be disappointed with their performances - Villa for not holding on to the lead and Spurs for not taking their chances and killing the game off. The visitors will take comfort from the fact that they are temporarily in 3rd place, a point above Arsenal who have 2 games in hand over them including the big one tomorrow against Chelsea.

Teams:

Aston Villa: Friedel, Luke Young, Beye, Cuellar, Dunne, Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker (Sidwell), Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Carew (Heskey).
Subs: Guzan, Sidwell, Downing, Delph, Heskey, Gardner, Clark.

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios (Jenas), Kranjcar( Keane), Defoe, Crouch.
Subs: Alnwick, Hutton, Bale, Bentley, Jenas, Keane, Rose.

Final Score:

Aston Villa 1 - 1 Tottenham

File Photograph copyright: Barry Zee