Brilliant Bale finds way through

Norwich 1 Tottenham 1

Wes Hoolahan’s 32nd-minute goal gave the Canaries a deserved lead, but Spurs winger Bale equalised after 80 minutes with a scintillating run from his own half which he finished off with a shot into the bottom corner.

Substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson was denied by Mark Bunn after 89 minutes as Tottenham finished the stronger but had to settle for a point.

Norwich were much improved following the humiliating 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round loss to Luton, but were left to rue a missed opportunity after dominating the opening 45 minutes.

Chris Hughton will hope additions up front — with Sporting Kansas City’s Kei Kamara joining, paperwork permitting — can end their streak of two points from 21 in the Premier League at QPR on Saturday.

Spurs, too, are looking for a cutting edge in the final 24 hours of the transfer window and Bale’s intervention, his 12th goal of the season, proved invaluable once more.

Robert Snodgrass was proving a useful source of supply down the right, while former Spurs man Sebastien Bassong and Michael Turner kept the visitors quiet at the other end.

It was a Snodgrass cross which led to the opener after he was freed by Russell Martin down the right. The ball was too high for Grant Holt at the far post, but he flicked it to Anthony Pilkington, who was composed enough to play it centrally to Hoolahan to slot home.

Norwich showed further intent on the resumption and Martin’s dangerous cross narrowly evaded Hoolahan in the box.

New Spurs signing Lewis Holtby came on for the ineffective Clint Dempsey — but it was Bale who found the way through.

He picked the ball up inside his own half and raced by Alex Tettey and into the area, cutting onto his left foot to shoot by Javier Garrido and Turner and beat Bunn.

Tottenham pressed on in search of a winner in the final 10 minutes but Bunn ensured the scores remained level.

NORWICH: Bunn, Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Snodgrass, Johnson, Tettey, Pilkington, Hoolahan (Howson 81), Holt.

TOTTENHAM: Lloris, Walker, Vertonghen, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Sigurdsson 87), Parker, Dembele, Bale, Dempsey (Holtby 71), Defoe.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).