Hope springs eternal as points shared

Ndewcastle 2 Tottenham 2:A SHARED craving for improvement prevented either side from getting the better of the other.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur ought not to be separated even in their satisfaction, even though a team held to a draw on their own ground would usually be crestfallen. Alan Pardew’s side, however, maintained their unbeaten record despite being required to equalise twice. At present Newcastle are bringing encouragement to a St James’ Park crowd whose spirit can be officially certified unbreakable after so many years of crashing anti-climax.

Given time, Tottenham will be able to look beyond the late leveller from the substitute Shola Ameobi. There was still merit in a display that had enterprise and even an air of durability for much of the game. It was regrettable that Ledley King should have to go off injured in the first half but even if there was no clean sheet on this occasion Spurs have long since understood that it would be absurd to waste their lives agonising over his condition.

There is cause for solidly based hope at Tottenham. The club is inclined to brood on matters such as the limitation of its White Hart Lane home as a revenue generator but Harry Redknapp does still have a squad with depth in some areas.

Indeed, this fixture, as an open and exhausting contest, was ideal for the introduction of Jermain Defoe, who then gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage. It will be a gruelling assignment for Redknapp’s side to finish in the top four but they are better equipped than he often implies.

If there is any unease in the mind of the Spurs manager it will concern the fact that half a dozen league goals have been conceded in four away games. There was a sense here that Newcastle could not be stopped in their tracks with the considerable presence of Cheik Tiote in the centre of midfield. There was a certain lack of vigilance and, in consequence, Tottenham could never completely drain the hope from spectators who had no cause to suppose their side were doomed.

It somehow felt natural that Ameobi should level the scores with a spectacular drive in the 86th minute, after a flick from Yohan Cabaye. This game might as well have been designed as an examination of Newcastle’s perseverance.

They fell behind after 40 minutes because of lapses in concentration. Pardew’s side could have survived the incident after Cabaye lost possession, but Steven Taylor made an unnecessary challenge on Emmanuel Adebayor, who was running towards the wing rather than the posts. Rafael van der Vaart showed a far greater sense of direction than the centre-back when tucking the spot-kick beyond Tim Krul.

Adversity, however, prodded Newcastle into effectiveness. Demba Ba levelled after 48 minutes. At that stage the loss of King had been barely noticed by Tottenham. That event was swamped by the general inconsequentiality of the action. The goal, however, saw Jonas Gutierrez tear past Luka Modric and Kyle Walker, with Brad Friedel getting to Ba’s volley but grasping it when the ball was behind the line.

The early insipidness of the match seemed merely to have been saving its hoard of incident for the latter stages. Adebayor was close to restoring Tottenham’s lead with an effort, following service from Modric, that went marginally beyond the far post. Van der Vaart was soon to crash a drive straight at Krul.

Van der Vaart would be replaced by a more natural predator in Defoe, who put Tottenham in front once more, finishing a ball from Scott Parker. No one could quibble if either manager saw this as a contest where fallibility was on the rise. The unstable action might have indicated that neither side should expect too much of this campaign but the fixture itself was absorbing precisely because of the accidents and pervasive fallibility.

There was scope, above all, for the predatory Defoe. Tottenham may lack the means of some clubs in the upper reaches of the table but an away draw of this sort suggests a purpose and organisation that will keep them to the fore, even if they will rue the fact that they could not hold tight to the lead for those closing minutes. Newcastle, for their part, are far from despair.

Most people can recall a grandiosity of intent that once saw the club spend heavily without quite getting the return on investment anticipated. The drama too often left an ache in the hearts of supporters.

This is a less histrionic period and perhaps those fans will be left with a modest satisfaction.