A fiercely contested first half between Tottenham Hotspurs and Everton ended at 1-1, as both teams continued to attack each other in the first period. If there was some better finishing on offer it could easily have been 2-2 at least.
It was a slow start to the match. Everton had been the more formidable opponent, however no substantial chances could be created in the first five minutes.
First real action of the match came as Peter Crouch went down under a challenge inside the Everton penalty area , and there were a few shouts from the home fans but none of the players looked too interested. And the referee also did not take much notice
of that.
Everton moved forward on a quick break and with the nigerian striker Yakubu inside the Spurs half Palacios tripped him, picking up the first yellow card.
Finally there was a chance for Gareth Bale who got on the ball and Phil Neville brought him down cynically. It was not quite a reducer, but it was certainly a welcome to the game for the hat trick man.
But the Welshman was not intimidated by the rash tackles. Bale turned on his turbo once more down the Spurs left and went around the outside of Seamus Coleman and somehow got a cross in, and it fell 25 yards out to Luka Modric, who saw his hammer strike
tipped behind by Tim Howard.
Moments later Everton got a free kick just outside the box. The toffees broke the deadlock from 25 yards out, Leighton Baines let fly an absolutely magnificent free kick that ended in the right top corner with Tottenham keeper cemented to the ground. After
playing some good football the home side had conceded, that shows how missing chances can come back to haunt you.
The goal came just as Tottenham were starting impose their authority on the game. Spurs though continued to move forward. And it did not take long for them to get level. Tim Howard would not want to look back on the replay of the Spurs’ equalizer. Alan Hutton
looped over a cross from the right and Howard inexplicably came to gather and missed, the ball hit Peter Crouch at the far post and rolled along the goal-line for a grateful Rafael van der Vaart to slam in from point-blank range. It was level in only a matter
of minutes, Spurs certainly deserved it.
The pace of the match was getting quicker and quicker, Luka Modric drifted in off the left flank for Spurs and from the 25 yards distance unleashed a right-foot shot that scorched a few inches wide of Tim Howard's right-hand post with the keeper scrambling
across his line.
Spurs did look really dangerous when they went forward - Luka Modric played in Aaron Lennon, but Leighton Baines got across well to clear the danger. Moments later Peter Crouch went up for a cross into the Everton box again, went down yet again and wanted
a penalty.
Everton also has their share of chances to take the lead, but could not convert and the first half ended on level terms.
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