CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Tottenham v Everton 24/08/96 3.00

Tottenham               (0) 0 Everton                 (0) 0 FT

Battling Tottenham tamed Everton dangermen Duncan Ferguson and Andrei Kanchelskis but collected another injury blow along with their hard-earned point at White Hart Lane.

Striker Chris Armstrong, two-goal hero on the opening day at Blackburn, was carried off with a damaged ankle just before the half-hour to join Darren Anderton and Gary Mabbutt on a lengthening casualty list.

But Spurs had their luck as well, especially when Everton defender Craig Short headed wide a Graham Stuart cross, totally unmarked with only keeper Ian Walker to beat four minutes into the second half.

Giant Scot Ferguson had also been off target two minutes earlier, lobbing over from close range with Spurs defence tottering.

But Walker came to the London team's rescue by turning Stuart's header against a corner following Ferguson's flick from a corner in the 68th minute.

And he also defied Ferguson when the striker was allowed to run on, suspiciously offside, six minutes from the end.

In the end, it was a disappointing spectacle served up by two of the Premiership's still unbeaten teams although Everton always looked the more likely winners on a ground where they have not had a League victory for 11 years.

The first half was almost a complete right-off as far as quality and entertainment was concerned.

Everton started brightly but with outstanding defenders Sol Campbell and Clive Wilson, Spurs gradually turned the blue tide away from their goal. With more accurate passing they could have gone on to take control.

They still had to survive a difficult start to the second half when Ferguson and Short should both have scored but by the finish Tottenham were giving as good as they received.

Substitute Ronny Rosenthal should have done better with an edge of the box volley that flew wide after Teddy Sheringham, largely anonymous otherwise, panicked two Everton defenders into surrendering possession.