Blackburn held at home by Spurs

Blackburn 1 Tottenham 1

Morten Gamst Pedersen cancelled out Dimitar Berbatov’s opener as Blackburn and Tottenham fought out an entertaining draw this afternoon.

Berbatov put Spurs ahead six minutes into the Barclays Premier League contest at Ewood Park with Pedersen levelling after fine work by David Bentley after half an hour.

Chances were plentiful at either end after that and Rovers felt Bentley was denied a penalty late on, but a draw was a fair result.

Both sides had been intent on winning, Blackburn to maintain their European ambitions and mid-table Spurs because they had little to lose.

The result was an open and entertaining contest in which flair players Bentley and Aaron Lennon, rivals for a place in the England team, wasted few opportunities to showcase their skills.

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was left out by Tottenham after being troubled by an ankle injury and his replacement Radek Cerny gifted Rovers an early opportunity.

Cerny came out of his area but, after a misunderstanding with Pascal Chimbonda, hesitated and then fluffed a clearance.

Andre Ooijer flighted the ball deep into the box but Cerny managed to scramble back to punch and his defenders tidied up.

Spurs responded emphatically as Steed Malbranque slipped the ball into the Blackburn box for Jenas to look up and square for Berbatov in front of goal.

The Bulgarian did not make clean contact but, from such close range, he could not fail to net his 22nd goal of the season, Blackburn’s appeals for offside falling on deaf ears.

Berbatov went down on the edge of area under pressure from Steven Reid moments later but referee Peter Walton gave nothing.

Spurs kept up the pressure with Lennon forcing Ryan Nelsen to concede a corner from a dangerous cross from the left.

Pedersen had Blackburn’s first serious attempt on goal but his low shot was easily gathered by Cerny.

Lennon looked a handful as Spurs did most of the pressing but they were caught out just before the half-hour mark by a moment of magic from Bentley.

The England midfielder, subject of speculation over his future this week, brilliantly controlled a Reid ball on the right to breeze past Chimbonda, again looking uncomfortable on the left.

Bentley powered on to the byline and then pulled the ball back for a grateful Pedersen to finish clinically.

The goal enlivened Bentley and he and Lennon then seemed to take turns to try outdo each other.

Both were denied free-kicks within moments of each other after seemingly being impeded, Lennon after breaking into the box and Bentley in racing clear from midfield.

Bentley also hit one superb crossfield pass and, just before the interval, forced Cerny to save from a curling 30-yard free-kick.

Bentley created the first opening of the second half with a good ball over the top for Jason Roberts but the striker was harshly penalised for a foul on Michael Dawson.

Spurs quickly counter-attacked and Berbatov tested Brad Friedel with a low shot, as did Roberts on Cerny when Rovers got their chance to break back.

With little respite in the action, Lennon then found space down the right and found Malbranque with a low cross, but Friedel was alert to the Frenchman’s shot.

After that flurry of activity, the game settled down but attack remained very much the intention of both sides.

Bentley fired a shot wide from distance and Robbie Keane raced into the box only to run out of options and see an attack break down.

Blackburn had strong appeals for a penalty turned down when Bentley felt he was impeded by substitute Gilberto in the area.

The best Rovers got was a free-kick on the edge of the area a few minutes later but Bentley fired that straight at Cerny.

Spurs had a similar opportunity in the dying moments but Jenas barely tested Friedel with his effort.