Men's

Matchday 5

White Hart Lane

Sun 12 Sept 2004 | 16:05

Match Report

Norwich earned a battling point against in-form Spurs at White Hart Lane. Tottenham dominated the first half and Jermain Defoe was twice denied when a 25-yard drive came back off the post and a shot was cleared off the line.

Spurs' Jamie Redknapp and Fredi Kanoute also went close before Norwich came out of their shell after the break.

Darren Huckerby almost stole the points for the visitors on three occasions only to be foiled by two Paul Robinson saves and a Ledley King tackle.

Spurs were comfortable in possession and sprayed the ball around confidently as they tried to prise an opening through the Norwich defence.

There was a surge of noise from an expectant home crowd whenever Defoe got the ball and he was quickly in the thick of the action.

The England striker turned Damien Francis midway into the Norwich half before unleashing his drive against the post.

The dangerous Defoe almost turned provider moments later when he slid a low diagonal ball into the six-yard box for fellow striker Kanoute.

But the Frenchman, under pressure from Canaries left-back Adam Drury, failed to get enough purchase on a shot gathered by keeper Robert Green.

The visitors defence did not help their own cause when they failed to clear a ball in their box and Defoe almost took advantage only to see his shot cleared off the line by Youssef Safri.

Redknapp poked a shot just wide while a Kanoute effort was also narrowly off target as Spurs maintained the pressure on the Canaries goal.

Norwich would have been much the happier heading into the interval on level terms and they continued to keep Spurs at bay in the second half.

Defoe was Spurs' main threat and his deflected drive was palmed over by Green but Norwich showed more of a threat on goal as the game started to open up.

A Huckerby burst of pace saw him surge on the home goal only for his shot to be blocked by keeper Robinson.

At the other end, Green was equally alert to pull off a full-length save to keep out a Thimothee Atouba volley.

Huckerby again produced a smart save from Robinson and then looked set to score after chipping the keeper and running through onto the Spurs goal.

But central defender King raced back and produced a last-gasp sliding tackle.

Spurs duo Robbie Keane and Simon Davies had late efforts but both sides had to be content with a point.