Myhill heroics frustrate Spurs

A string of saves from Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill ensured Tottenham had to settle for a goalless draw at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

The stalemate with one of the Premier League’s strugglers did little to help Spurs’ hopes of securing Champions League football but a point was enough to lift Hull out of the bottom three, for 24 hours at least.

A first-half played under a torrential downpour offered little in the way of entertainment until Myhill produced the first of two superb double saves, nine minutes before the break.

Having kept out a low drive from Wilson Palacios, the goalkeeper recovered to tip Robbie Keane’s rebound over the bar.

Myhill denied Jermain Defoe on the stroke of half-time and Spurs had a good penalty shout turned down just after the restart, when Andy Dawson fell on the ball after blocking a volley from Gareth Bale.

Wales international Myhill then surpassed his first-half double stop by keeping out a Luka Modric volley before saving another Keane follow-up.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp replaced Palacios with Jermaine Jenas and threw Peter Crouch into the attack in place of Keane.

But Hull were increasingly looking dangerous on the counter attack and the home side had a narrow escape when former Spurs player Nick Barmby found the side netting after being played in by Stephen Hunt.

A header from Modric forced Myhill into further saves with a header and a shot that was headed towards the top corner.

But Spurs also lived dangerously at the back and only a last-ditch tackle from Michael Dawson prevented the lively Hunt from breaking clear.

Spurs had another penalty shout turned down when George Boateng appeared to block a Niko Kranjcar drive with his hand and Crouch had a late header saved by Myhill, but the home side could scarcely claim to have done enough to merit all three points.