Defoe saves Spurs against old club Portsmouth

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe silenced the jeers of the travelling Portsmouth fans after scoring a vital equaliser against his old club in a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane here Sunday.

The point moved Spurs off the bottom of the English Premier League table and out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

But manager Harry Redknapp, facing Pompey for the first time since his October switch to London, would have been disappointed after seeing his side miss a host of chances.

Both teams stretched their winless league run to six games and remain firmly involved in the relegation dogfight.

All eyes and ears were on the the fans after 11 Spurs supporters were charged on Tuesday for alleged racist and homophobic chants directed at Sol Campbell in this season’s previous meeting between the sides at Fratton Park.

There was no repeat of the chants but Spurs supporters did hum the offending tune that had upset the former Tottenham defender, still not forgiven for joining arch-rivals Arsenal seven years ago.

It was Redknapp’s new club who could have easily nicked a goal in the opening 10 minutes.

Winger Aaron Lennon released Croatia wing-back Vedran Corluka down the right from where he cut inside and unleashed a left-foot shot which Pompey defender Sylvain Distin blocked.

Defoe, booed relentlessly by the Portsmouth fans, spurned a golden opportunity to put one over his old club but screwed his finish wide after being put in the clear by Pompey midfielder Sean Davis’s wayward pass.

Pompey’s attacks were fleeting but they came close to breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute after poor goalkeeping from Spurs’s Heurelho Gomes.

The Brazilian could only parry Glen Johnson’s weak long-range shot but made amends by flicking the ball away when it appeared England striker Peter Crouch was certain to score.

Lennon was causing havoc in the Pompey back-line and England goalkeeper David James had to be at his best to turn his 25-yard drive around the post.

The match continued at breakneck pace as the home team continued to press but they could not force the ball into the goal, Defoe the guilty party twice in quick succession.

First he got in the way of Roman Pavlyuchenko’s goalbound header and then Defoe, given a free-header himself, could only direct it at James although the ex-Liverpool keeper still had to pull off an acrobatic save.

Gomes made up for his nervy start when he denied David Nugent but the England forward should have given him no chance after being sent clear by Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

Spurs came close again shortly before the hour mark but James was again on top form to keep out Lennon’s deflected effort.

The significance of the save was magnified a minute later when Nugent atoned for his earlier miss with his first Premier League goal for Pompey.

French midfielder Armand Traore made a typically forceful run which was cut short by Corluka’s tackle.

The loose ball fell to Nugent on the edge of the penalty area and his low shot, aided by a slight deflection off Gareth Bale, gave Gomez no chance.

The visiting fans wasted no time in reminding Redknapp, who guided Pompey to the FA Cup last season, of the score.

But their cheers were soon cut short when Defoe scored his first goal since returning to White Hart Lane.

Midfielder Didier Zakora passed to Croatia playmaker Luka Modric and his lay-off found the former West Ham striker who planted a low left-foot shot beyond James’s despairing dive.

Spurs substitute Darren Bent had a glorious opportunity to win the game wth 10 minutes left but directed his free header wide of the target.