Last-gasp clearance one Heck of a blow
PLAY-OFF-off hopefuls Barnsley and Preston had to settle for a point each in a stalemate at Oakwell.
Paul Heckingbottom’s Tyles dropped down to ninth place with Tom Bradshaw coming nearest for them when his close-range effort was cleared off the line.
And there was frustration too for Preston boss Simon Grayson whose side failed to score in successive league games for the first time since last March.
They almost caught Barnsley out within minutes. Jordan Hugill robbed Marc Roberts but Paul Gallagher’s cross was too high.
Barnsley had a similar chance soon after when Marley Watkins saw his cross nodded wide by Adam Armstrong.
Then an unexpected free-kick routine from Ryan Kent released an unmarked Josh Scowen inside the Preston box but his effort was blocked for a corner.
Tykes debutant Callum Elder then nearly put the ball into his own net as Aiden McGeady’s cross deflected narrowly wide off him.
Barnsley’s Adam Davies saved Simon Makienok’s header from a corner before Matty James drove a shot past Chris Maxwell’s post and the Preston keeper had to scrape off the line as winger Kent almost scored direct from a corner.
Armstrong had the first chance of the second half, fizzing a left-footed strike at the Preston goal that Maxwell had to be at his best to save.
Then Kent crossed for Bradshaw who looked set to hit the net only for a defender to get in the way.
And Davies denied Preston a win at the death as he clawed the ball out of the top-right corner after Hugill rose highest following a free-kick.
Tykes midfielder James said: “We deserved more from the game.
“We had the better chances, a few crosses that have gone across the face, then the keeper has saved a few.”
Preston midfielder Allan Browne said: “We started brightly but let them into it.
“We got into the game more in the second half and had a few chances. It was just unlucky that they didn’t go in.”
The skipper’s 16th goal of the season kept his side second but they remain nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea and have a hectic fixture schedule to follow, with last night being their first game of six in 22 days.
Chelsea, who have no European commitments, have two games less in the same period.
But after being held by struggling Sunderland on Tuesday and lucky to get a draw at Manchester City two weeks ago, this was a largely encouraging display for boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs challenged eventual champions Leicester for most of last season only to collapse and finish third.
This performance eased concerns in N17 that Spurs had begun to fade earlier this season and plunged Boro deeper into relegation trouble following their seventh league game without a win.
Spurs could not turn domination into goals due to Boro’s miserly defence but Aitor Karanka’s men rarely threatened themselves until a nervy last few minutes for the Londoners.
Tottenham hogged possession but too often lacked conviction and it was not until the 58th minute that they broke Boro’s resistance.
But it was still three welcome points for Pochettino after back-to-back Premier League stalemates.
Spurs are playing catch-up and if they are to win their first league title since 1961 in their last season at White Hart Lane, then Chelsea will have to suffer an unlikely and stunning slump.
Boro can ill afford to lose ground themselves and are in a scrap to avoid a return to the Championship after just one season in the top flight as this defeat leaves them just one point above the drop zone. Karanka has criticised his club for not allowing him to sign major transfer targets Bojan Krkic, Jese Rodriguez and Robert Snodgrass last month.
What the Spaniard got for around £12million were strikers Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford as well as midfielder Adlene Guedioura, who joined for £3.5m from Watford on deadline day.
All three new recruits started on the bench where they watched their team-mates stubbornly deny Spurs a goal in the first half.
For most of the opening 45 minutes, Alvaro Negredo was Boro’s only player not behind the ball.
After Negredo headed Adama Traore’s right-wing cross over in the third minute, Tottenham assumed control with their slick passing.
Spurs had no trouble in repeatedly opening up Boro’s defence through the quick thinking and quick feet of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen.
But they still went in at the interval level despite Toby Alderweireld rattling the outside of the post with a header from Eriksen’s 25th-minute corner.
Tottenham quickly responded to Negredo’s early chance – Boro’s only one in the first half – when Alli’s cute pass sent Heung-Min Son bearing down on goal but the South Korean’s low, right-foot shot was too close to keeper Victor Valdes. Alli shot into the side- netting after being released by a defencespitting pass from diminutive Dane Eriksen and in the aftermath Valdes was lucky not to be booked after prodding Alli on the nose with his finger.
Kane became more of a threat as the first half progressed and Ben Davies – in for the injured Danny Rose who sees a specialist tomorrow about his knee injury – combined with Alli on the left to release Son whose cross was headed over by the England striker.
The captain then thought he had got his team off the mark in the 41st minute when he fired home Son’s low, left-wing cross only for referee Mark Clattenburg to rule it out for offside.
Tottenham’s frustration continued after the break as Son, sent scampering down the right by Kane, cut inside to tee up Eriksen whose fierce shot was met by a save at his near post from the alert Valdes.
Boro rarely looked like they were capable of winning their first away game since August but their mean defending kept them level in the face of relentless pressure until Bernardo Espinosa finally cracked when he carelessly tripped Son in the box.
Kane converted the penalty by sending Valdes the wrong the way and Spurs quickly went in search of a second.
Son and Kane combined in a sweeping move but Eriksen’s shot was pushed away by Valdes.
But Tottenham could not extend their lead which left them defending nervously for the last few five minutes, with Negredo sending a scissor-kick wide before Marten de Roon failed to hit the target from six yards in injury-time.