On This Day - 1st January, 2007

Portsmouth 1 Spurs 1 (Premiership)

Steed Malbranque's second goal for Spurs earned his team a deserved point in a hard-fought game at Fratton Park.

Spurs had started brightly but couldn't manage to score and Portsmouth increased the pressure without really troubling Robinson. Portsmouth took the lead after half an hour with a shot that took a deflection off Calum Davenport. That was not the sort of birthday present Davenport would have been hoping for and later he was booked.

Spurs responded well and put the home team under greater pressure as half-time approached but it was early in the second half that Berbatov created space on the left and gave the ball to Murphy on the edge of the penalty area. His cross was headed home by Malbranque.

Both teams went for the win but while Portsmouth mounted pressure from set-pieces, Spurs had the better opportunities, especially a shot from Davenport which James saved well.

Spurs took four points from the twelve available over the Christmas/New Year period and now find themselves in 7th position having overtaken Everton again but four points behind Portsmouth and with an increasing gap of 8 points between them and Liverpool in third.

Team: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Davenport, Lee, Ghaly (Murphy), Huddlestone, Tainio, Malbranque (Gardiner), Berbatov, Defoe.

[King, Lennon, Keane, Jenas remain injured but Robbie Keane could be available for the next game]

Next Match: Sunday, 7th January - Cardiff City (a) FA Cup (3rd Round)