English FA Premiership/ Blackburn 1 Tottenham 1: The red mist descended over north-east Lancashire last night as a tempestuous match ended with two dismissals and Tottenham's manager Martin Jol appeared to be sent to the stand.

A late incident involving Hossam Ghaly, whose flailing arm caught Michael Gray in the head, precipitated ugly scenes that saw 18 players clash in front of the dug-outs. Ghaly received a red card for the challenge, joining Tugay who had earlier been dismissed for a foul on the Egyptian.

Presumably this was not what the Tottenham manager had intended when he urged his players last week to start "doing the dirty work". He was sent to the stand following protestations to Phil Dowd, who departed the field to chants of "You're not fit to referee". Jol had told the official he was "totally wrong" to dismiss Ghaly, claiming the Tottenham midfielder had "misjudged" his attempt to leap above Gray. The referee bridled at the suggestion and then appeared to brandish another red card.

Jol later suggested Dowd was "reacting to the crowd" with the Blackburn supporters venting their anger towards the official following Tugay's sending off. The 36-year-old was dismissed after he lunged towards Ghaly in the penalty area. Dowd pointed to the spot but then consulted his linesman. A throng of Rovers players attempted to pursue Dowd but he still sent off Tugay.

It seemed a harsh decision. Tugay's trailing leg made contact with Ghaly's left foot but it hardly qualified as a professional foul. Even Jol felt a penalty was punishment enough.

Following a lengthy delay Jermain Defoe confidently dispatched his spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner. It was the seventh penalty Blackburn have conceded this season - more than any other Premiership club. "People will tell me that over the course of the season they even themselves out but I'm starting not to believe that," said Blackburn manager Mark Hughes.

Hughes's patience was stretched further by Dowd's decision to turn down a possible penalty at the opposite end shortly after Defoe had brought parity. Mido, who had been booked for an elbow on the Rovers defender Stephane Henchoz that looked remarkably similar to Ghaly's offence, appeared to control the ball with his arm. Dowd waved away the appeals, infuriating Hughes and the Blackburn players. Hughes later claimed Mido had told his players he had used his hand.

Hughes had seen his side take the lead through Tugay's wonderful goal in the 23rd minute and by that stage the home side appeared set to register a first Premiership victory since the beginning of last month. But the penalty and the loss of their midfield fulcrum knocked Blackburn out of their stride.

Tugay's strike will surely be a candidate for goal of the season. There appeared little danger when Ledley King headed clear Morten Gamst Pedersen's attempt to nod Michael Gray's cross back into the six-yard box. However, Tugay stepped forward to propel a superb 25-yard volley past Paul Robinson and into the top corner.

Tottenham had been poor up until that point with Defoe the sole player who looked like troubling Blackburn. His shot from the edge of the area was beaten away by Friedel in the 33rd minutes. Three minutes later he skimmed the roof of the net.

Later on Benni McCarthy might have turned the match back in Blackburn's favour with an audacious back-heel volley which Robinson saved at the near post - but that moment of genius had no place here. Dowd had already dictated this fixture would be remembered for anything but footballing reasons.

• Guardian Service