Aussie star Cahill enjoys birthday to remember

Tim Cahill enjoyed a birthday to remember as the Australia midfielder’s late equaliser helped Everton rescue a dramatic 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

Cahill turned 30 on Sunday and the Socceroos star won’t forget the milestone in a hurry after heading the crucial 86th minute goal that capped Everton’s fightback from two down at Goodison Park.

After three successive league defeats, David Moyes’ side desperately needed to stop the rot, but they looked dead and buried when second half goals from Jermain Defoe and Michael Dawson put Tottenham on control.

Louis Saha sparked injury-hit Everton’s revival when he scored with 12 minutes remaining, then captain Cahill turned in Leighton Baines’ cross for his third goal of the season – and his first in the league since September.

There was still time for more drama as Everton defender Tony Hibbert conceded a stoppage time penalty with a clumsy barge into Wilson Palacios, but American goalkeeper Tim Howard ensured Cahill’s birthday celebrations would go with a swing as he saved Defoe’s spot-kick with his legs.

“We tried our hardest. We went down, picked ourselves up and Tim Howard produced a great save and I guess there’s a bit of justice,” Cahill said.

Howard was given some advice by Saha during a lengthy delay between Palacios being fouled for the spot-kick and Defoe finally taken the penalty after the Tottenham midfielder was stretchered off.

The instructions appeared to have been relayed from the home dugout and Howard said: “He gave me a word of advice. I kind of knew what to expect.

“There’s so much video now that there’s not one penalty taken that’s not there to see. You try your best not to leave any stone unturned.”

Moyes admitted Howard’s penalty save was the kind of good fortune that Everton deserved for such a gutsy display.

“It was a vital save. We work hard to do what we can (on penalties) but he is a good goalkeeper, he is lively and he should make penalty saves because he is very agile,” Moyes said.

“I thought we deserved a bit of luck and the goalkeeper helped it. It was important because the players had worked incredibly hard and had got stuck in.

“We tried to get something and because of that we earned a bit of good fortune when it came around.”

Injuries continue to be a problem for Everton, who lost centre-back Joseph Yobo to a recurrence of a hamstring strain after just 15 minutes but that actually turned into a positive for the Toffees.

Moyes had to send on Seamus Coleman for only his second Premier League appearance and the 21-year-old had a hand in both goals, earning him the man-of-the-match award.

“He was fantastic. He played really well, he got forward and made a difference for us at times. Good on the youngster,” Moyes added.

While Moyes breathed a sigh of relief at Everton’s escape, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was frustrated at the careless way his side squandered two points which would have taken them third in the table.

“There looked to be only one winner. It was game over as we looked to be in control and I couldn’t see any way we weren’t going to go on and win,” he said.

“We had chances to go 3-0 up and then they pulled a goal back. It was poor defending, we got sucked in and then suddenly the crowd get a lift.

“When you get it back to 2-1 you are going to throw the kitchen sink at the opposition and that is what they did.

“Then we get a great chance to win it with a penalty with the last kick of the game.

“Robbie Keane is our penalty taker but you’d fancy the little man (Defoe) to score with the form he is in but it wasn’t to be.”