West Ham get rub of Green

West Ham Utd  1 Tottenham 1:Paul Robinson was approaching the entrance to the tunnel when the Tannoy announcer urged the crowd, with unashamed glee, to acknowledge the match-saving performance of England's number one. For a second the Tottenham goalkeeper might have sensed an unexpected show of support. Instead the plaudits were for Robert Green, still applauding the home support after palming away his third penalty of the season in stoppage time. Realisation prompted Robinson to muster a wry smile

Life as an English goalkeeper is something of a trial at present. Robinson's every touch here prompted boos and jeers from the West Ham support, though he had not been involved in England's ignominious loss to Croatia last week. The succession of smart reaction saves that preserved Spurs' point late on were lost amid the abuse. In contrast Green, who might have been sent off after Robbie Keane tumbled in the area, was undoubtedly culpable in allowing the visitors to equalise, yet still emerged as this contest's heroic figure. Robinson must wonder at the injustice of it all.

Tottenham will have considered this a missed opportunity. The board of added minutes had been raised when the substitute Jermain Defoe scuttled towards the byline and was tugged, albeit faintly, by Lucas Neill. The striker crumpled and Mike Riley, after an agonising pause, awarded the penalty. Green had denied Reading and Portsmouth already this term and, with his spring and parry, did the same to Defoe, who tried to plant the winner into the bottom right corner. The save provoked wild celebration and the goalkeeper's early error was exorcised at the expense of a player West Ham love to hate. In a second Robinson's own encouraging display at the other end had also been eclipsed.

Such is his lot at present. His reputation is still in need of restoration after losing his place to Scott Carson, himself exposed so cruelly last week, in the national set-up.

Others clamour for Green's elevation yet Alan Curbishley conceded that his custodian had "redeemed" himself after failing to reach Jermaine Jenas's free-kick midway through the second period, Michael Dawson rising to flick Spurs' equaliser in off the crossbar with the goalkeeper horribly out of position.

"If you come out, you have to get the ball but what he did at the end made up for it," said Curbishley. "At least he came out of the game feeling a lot happier. Robinson made good saves, too, and his kicking was superb."

Spurs would query whether Green should have even been in a position to preserve West Ham's point. Five minutes before the interval Keane had escaped a linesman's flag and clipped over the advancing goalkeeper before tumbling as the loose ball bobbled wide.

The Dubliner was apoplectic at the non-award of the penalty and presumably the lack of a red card. "That was a key moment," complained Juande Ramos. "We would have been playing against 10 men and had a penalty. That would have changed the game.

"I thought Keane was offside," said Curbishley with more than a touch of mischief. "Once he flicked it over Greeny, there was a bit of contact but I think Keane only realised there'd been a bit a contact once he saw the ball was going wide."

This may never have thrilled as much as last season's frenzied meeting, won 4-3 by Spurs, but it was utterly intriguing throughout. These are clubs slowly on the climb.