Tottenham 2-2 Leeds
Leeds draw 2-2 with Spurs at White Hart Lane
Saturday, 23, Jan 2010 07:16
By inthenews.co.uk staff
Jermaine Beckford scored a dramatic 95th minute penalty to secure a 2-2 draw for Leeds against Tottenham in a pulsating FA Cup fourth round tie at White Hart Lane.
The Leeds striker held his nerve to dispatch the crucial spot-kick in the dying seconds of the game after being brought down in the penalty area by Michael Dawson at the end of five minutes of injury time.
Substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko looked to have won the game for Spurs finishing in style after some fine link-up work with Jermaine Defoe with less than 15 minutes remaining.
Simon Grayson's men though refused to give up the fight and after their dramatic victory over Manchester United in the previous round, the League One leader's will now fancy their chances in next month's replay at Elland Road.
Spurs had threatened to run away with the match in the early stages, carving out numerous chances, with Defoe at the centre of most attacks.
The England striker forced Casper Ankergren into action within the first five minutes, with the Leeds keeper tipping his shot over, before Niko Kranjcar also drew a save, cutting in from the left and unleashing an attempt on goal.
With only seven minutes on the clock the home side were then awarded a penalty when from a throw in Danny Rose touched the ball before being clattered by Andy Hughes. It was Defoe who stepped up and proceeded to miss his fourth consecutive penalty when Ankergren dived to his left.
The chances still came for Spurs though; first Gareth Bale directed a free kick inside the post only to be thwarted by the outstretched hand of Ankergren, before another Kranjcar shot was fumbled by the busy goalkeeper with Defoe smashing the rebound into the defender almost on the goal line.
Leeds eventually began to find their feet half way through the first half and, recovering from the early onslaught, began to create chances of their own. Robert Snodgrass was the first to test Heurelho Gomes shooting from outside the Spurs area and forcing a save, then minutes later Beckford found himself clear on the left side of the penalty area but the forward dragged his shot wide.
Spurs eventually opened the scoring just before half time. Man of the match Bale broke forward down the left and cut the ball back to Kranjcar whose shot flew through a crowded penalty area and could only be parried by Ankergren into the path of Peter Crouch who was on hand to stab the loose ball home.
Jermaine Jenas then had the chance to increase the home side's lead at the break, but the midfielder blazed over after a slick Tottenham move on the stroke of half time.
Spurs were deserving of their 1-0 lead but Leeds were looking increasingly dangerous as the match drew on and were right back in the game minutes after the re-start.
A Snodgrass corner delivered into the Spurs area early in the second half induced a frantic scramble, with Jenas's failed clearance allowing Beckford to poke the ball home from close range.
Not relishing the thought of a replay, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp threw on Robbie Keane and Pavlyuchenko with 20 minutes to go and within minutes got his reward.
The Russian striker first dummied a pass from substitute Wilson Palacios to Defoe who then returned the ball back for Pavlyuchenko to finish in style in the bottom corner.
The ever-busy Bale attempted to wrap up the tie in the last ten minutes, seeing his shot from the left cleared off the line.
Leeds though refused to succumb and after sustained periods of pressure, Beckford found himself one-on-one with Dawson inside the Spurs box in the dying seconds of the game.
Driving towards the by-line the Leeds striker fell under the challenge from the Spurs captain and referee Mike Riley pointed towards the spot.
Beckford stepped up to coolly cover the penalty, sending the travelling Leeds into delirium and the tie back to Elland Road.