Premier League: Birmingham 1 Tottenham 1

Tottenham failed to move up into fourth place after they were held by Birmingham City at St Andrews.

Defender Sebastien Bassong gave Spurs the lead in the first half but Craig Gardner equalised with 10 minutes left.

Tottenham started the better and almost took the lead within the first five minutes.

Aaron Lennon typically surged down right and burst into the Birmingham box.

His floated cross found striker Peter Crouch at the back post who took the ball down well with his chest, but his volley was pushed away at the near post by Blues ‘keeper Ben Foster.

Ex-Spurs defender Stephen Carr hit back moments later for the home team, but he could only blaze over from six yards after he was set free by a ball over the top of the visitors’ defence.

The travelling fans though didn’t have to wait too long to cheer a well-deserved goal.

Liam Ridgewell hauled down Gareth Bale on the corner of the Birmingham box, and the man in form picked himself up to whip a free-kick into the danger area.

Foster could only palm the ball out to Bassong who took a touch before blasting the ball into the net from six yards.

Birmingham looked shaken but almost drew level through Craig Gardner.

The midfielder surged at the Tottenham defence, shrugging off Luka Modric before unleashing a low shot from 20 yards which flew just wide of Heurelho Gomes’ upright.

Tottenham almost doubled their lead after the restart, Foster tipping Defoe’s deflected shot round the post.

But Birmingham had chances to levels the scores, as Gomes got down well to stop a Gardner header and then Ridgewell late on.

Defoe should have given Spurs some space to breathe as the half wore on with a weaving run and shot, but his effort dribbled past the post.

Nikola Zigic, the hero from Birmingham’s midweek Carling Cup clash, was thrown on with half an hour to go, and the tall Serbian played a key role in Birmingham’s equaliser.

A floated ball into the box was knocked back across goal by the striker and Gardner was on hand to head into the corner past a despairing Gomes.