Tottenham 1 Portsmouth 1: Jermain Defoe scored his first goal since returning to Tottenham, firing the equaliser against former club Portsmouth to cancel out David Nugent's opener and lift Harry Redknapp's side off the bottom of the Premier League.
Nugent had given the visitors the lead just before the hour mark but in a clash where the pre-match focus had been on who would be facing their old team-mates, it was almost inevitable that Defoe would strike.
Redknapp left Pompey 84 days before this game and Spurs headed into the match exactly where he found them — rock bottom. Spurs also knew that victory would take them 12th, such is the tightness of the league this season — but in the end the point earned by Defoe lifted them out of the relegation zone.
Defoe and Redknapp were booed by away fans, while Pompey skipper Sol Campbell was jeered with his every touch from the Spurs fans who have never forgiven him for joining rivals Arsenal in 2001. There was no repeat, however, of the chant that led to accusations of racism and homophobia as Spurs fans hummed the tune but omitted the words.
Away from the sideshow in the stands, there was a gripping clash with plenty of chances at both ends and problems mounting for Redknapp after seeing Ledley King and Roman Pavlyuchenko replaced due to injury in the first half.
It was Defoe who had the first chance of the match, in the ninth minute, when Sean Davis passed straight to his former team-mate with a ball across his own defence. Defoe sent David James the wrong way with his finish but it went just wide of the post.
Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was still struggling with an apparent groin strain picked up last week — and it nearly led to Peter Crouch opening the scoring.
Gomes was down slowly to stop Glen Johnson’s weak drive, then had to claw the ball away from Crouch when the effort was spilled. The Brazilian then hopped around his area in an attempt to shake off the knock but could not take goal kicks.
James was called into action in the 20th minute when Aaron Lennon drove forward and drilled a shot from the edge of the area that needed turning around the post. Pavlyuchenko had a close-range effort blocked by team-mate Defoe from the corner.
James was needed again midway through the first half after Lennon controlled a ball over the top and hustled his way past Nadir Belhadj.
He stood up the cross and Defoe headed towards the roof of the net, only for England stopper James to tip over the crossbar. At the other end, Vedran Corluka made a goal-saving challenge to deny Armand Traore after Nugent pulled the ball back for the youngster.
With skipper King hobbling, Nugent was able to break the offside trap just before the break — but Gomes was down to block the effort. Michael Dawson was then brought on for King.
As the intensity increased, the crucial incidents of the match came just before the hour mark. Lennon had forced James to scamper towards his near post and make a fine sprawling save — then Pompey were ahead seconds later with their next attack.
Traore carried the ball from left to right and the ball broke to Nugent on the edge of the area. The striker shot first time, with the strike deflecting off Gareth Bale and finding the bottom corner. It was his first goal in over a year and first in the Premier League.
“Redknapp, what’s the score?” asked the travelling support.
Defoe’s moment came with 20 minutes left. Didier Zokora had exchanged passes with Luka Modric and the ball was shifted to Defoe, whose angled drive went through Campbell’s legs and past James.
Bent should have added a second 10 minutes from time when David Bentley, on as a substitute, found him unmarked — but his header went horribly wide of the post from four yards.
