Aston Villa 1 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur

Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Updated: November 28, 2009, 8:36 AM UK

Captain Michael Dawson's first goal of the campaign rescued a deserved point for Tottenham after they had exerted relentless second-half pressure against Aston Villa.

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Gabriel Agbonlahor had given Martin O'Neill's side a half-time lead with his eighth goal of the season, but the second half was completely dominated by the visitors as Villa often dragged all 11 players behind the ball before Dawson broke their resistance.

Only a series of excellent saves from Brad Friedel prevented Tottenham from chalking up their fourth away victory of 2009-2010.

After a lacklustre opening 45 minutes, Tottenham showed the kind of enterprise that had seen them demolish Wigan 9-1 last weekend with Niko Kranjcar in excellent form, but the Villa defence is made of sterner stuff, with Carlos Cuellar again making a good impression.

Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker came into the side for Steve Sidwell while Habib Beye replaced ill left-back Stephen Warnock. He took over at right-back from Luke Young, who switched to the opposite flank. Spurs central defender Jonathan Woodgate's groin problem meant he made way for Sebastien Bassong.

Villa, unbeaten at home since the opening day of the campaign, looked full of positive intent in the early stages and started at a high tempo.

But it was home keeper Friedel who was called upon to make the first save of the game. The former Blackburn player had to be alert to tip over a powerful drive from Kranjcar from just outside the box.

After nine minutes, Agbonlahor put Villa ahead. James Milner's near-post corner was met by Cuellar, whose header was blocked on the line by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, but the loose ball broke to Agbonlahor, who squeezed it home.

Tottenham posed little attacking threat in the opening 45 minutes, but Cuellar came to Villa's rescue when he cleared a shot from Peter Crouch off the line after Friedel had kept out the initial attempt from Defoe.

Agbonlahor found a yard of space on the edge of the Spurs box but dragged his shot well wide while, at the other end, Friedel had to be alert to tip over a drive from Tom Huddlestone after it had taken a slight deflection off Reo-Coker.

Aaron Lennon saw little of the ball in the opening half - surprising given the destruction he had caused against Wigan - and Redknapp would have wanted more from his side attacking-wise in the second period. His players responded.

Friedel had to be at his best to tip over a fierce 20-yard drive from Kranjcar around the post at full stretch and the game became more open with Villa looking to catch Spurs on the counter-attack.

A mistake by Huddlestone allowed Agbonlahor to find Ashley Young in space, but his centre was just too high for Carew, who could get no direction or power on his header, but Villa were now dropping back in numbers as the visitors dominated in terms of possession.

The impressive Cuellar blocked a shot from Kranjcar after throwing himself at full-stretch. Friedel was again Villa's saviour when he blocked a low shot from Jenas and, although Defoe bundled the rebound into the net, he was adjudged to have handled by referee Phil Dowd.

But after 78 minutes, Dawson deservedly brought Spurs back on level terms when he fired an unstoppable shot past Friedel from the edge of the box.