Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham: Michael Dawson strike earns deserved point for visitors

Captain Michael Dawson's first goal of the campaign rescued a deserved point for Tottenham after they had exerted relentless second half pressure against Aston Villa.

Gabriel Agbonlahor had given Martin O'Neill's side a half-time lead with his eighth goal of the season.

But the second half was completely dominated by the visitors as Villa often dragged all 11 players behind the ball before Dawson broke their resistance.

Villa, unbeaten at home since the opening day of the campaign, looked full of positive intent in the early stages and started at a high tempo.

But it was home keeper Brad Friedel who was called upon to make the first save of the game.

The former Blackburn player had to be alert to tip over a powerful drive from Niko Kranjcar from just outside the box.

John Carew won Villa their first corner of the game and Ashley Young's dipping cross to the near post was headed over his own bar by Peter Crouch.

Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes easily dealt with an inswinging free-kick by Ashley Young which was over-hit.

Carew, again preferred to Emile Heskey, tried his luck from 25 yards out but his shot flew high and wide of Gomes' goal.

But after nine minutes Gabriel Agbonlahor put Villa ahead with his eighth goal of the campaign.

James Milner's near post corner was met by Carlos Cuellar whose header was blocked on the line by Sebastien Bassong but the loose ball broke to Agbonlahor who squeezed it over the line.

Lennon was forced to chase back and concede a corner after Luke Young had burst forward to run onto a long crossfield ball from Stiliyan Petrov.

Tottenham posed little attacking threat and an angled ball into the box from Kranjcar was over-hit as he tried to pick out the run of Jermain Defoe.

Tom Huddlestone summed up the opening 20 minutes for Spurs when his volley flew out of play for a throw-in.

But Cuellar came to Villa's rescue when he cleared a shot from Crouch off the line after Friedel had kept out the initial attempt from Defoe.

Agbonlahor found a yard of space on the edge of the Spurs box but dragged his shot well wide.

Friedel was alert in racing 20 yards outside his area to clear from Defoe after Reo-Coker had underhit his back pass.

Reo-Coker made a surging run towards the Spurs box but his effort was weak and wide.

Friedel had to be alert to tip over a drive from Huddlestone after it took a slight deflection off Reo-Coker.

Defoe volleyed over from Kranjcar's cross as the visitors came more into the game.

Lennon saw little of the ball in the opening half hour, which was surprising given the destruction he had caused against Wigan.

But Tottenham were often adopting a route-one approach which was easily dealt with by Cuellar and Richard Dunne.

Kranjcar was the one Tottenham player looking capable of prising open the Villa defence but his free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp would have wanted more from his side attacking-wise in the second period as the rain began to lash across Villa Park.

And Friedel had to be at his best to finger-tip a fierce 20-yard drive from Kranjcar around the post at full stretch.

The game now more open with Villa looking to catch Spurs on the counter-attack.

A mistake by Huddlestone allowed Agbonlahor to find Ashley Young in space but his centre was just too high for Carew who could get no direction or power on his header.

A dangerous inswinging centre from Milner was only inches away from finding Agbonlahor who had made a good run to the near post.

But Villa were now dropping back in numbers as the visitors dominated possession-wise.

The impressive Cuellar blocked a shot from Kranjcar after throwing himself at full stretch.

Redknapp made his first substitution after 65 minutes with Palacios replaced by Jermaine Jenas.

Petrov deflected a cross-shot from Kranjcar for a corner as the relentless pressure continued.

Bassong ventured forward to send an overhead kick over the bar. In a rare Villa attack Milner lashed his shot high into the Holte End.

The limping Reo-Coker was replaced by Steve Sidwell and the former Chelsea player was not far off target with a 20-yard drive.

Friedel was again Villa's saviour when he blocked a low shot from Jenas.

Defoe bundled the rebound into the net but was adjudged to have handled by referee Phil Dowd.

With 15 minutes remaining, Emile Heskey was introduced in place of Carew.

But after 78 minutes Dawson deservedly brought Spurs back on level terms when he fired an unstoppable shot past Friedel from the edge of the box.

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