On this day in 2011: Penalty drama for Charlie Adam as Tottenham's Jermain Defoe denies Blackpool crucial three points in fight for Premier League survival

What a day this was. A glorious football match; edge-of-the-seat excitement, penalty miss, penalty conversion, striker tantrum and, most importantly of all, a terrific outcome.

Perhaps there is a tinge of disappointment it didn’t end in victory for Pool – and Wolves’ win on Sunday meant Pool did eventually drop back into the bottom three.

The Seasiders probably deserved three points for the sheer effort and fight they displayed over the 90 minutes – but it was a good point nevertheless.

Of course, the Seasiders still have to beat Bolton in their next game, but let’s worry about that later.

This was a magnificent afternoon, Holloway’s men written off by all and sundry, yet delivering a wonderful performance and giving Tottenham – fighting for fourth spot lest we forget – the fright of their lives.

To get a result at Spurs, beaten just once on home soil all season (and that a freak early-season result against Wigan), takes some doing. Yet Pool deserved it.

Not for a second did they play like a side in relegation trouble. Their passing football was evident from the start. They took Tottenham on at their own game. It led to a brilliantly dynamic and open, exciting encounter.

Yes, the Seasiders rode their luck at times. They were away at one of the top teams in Europe – of course there were going to be spells when they were under pressure and reliant on good fortune. But they also carved out some great opportunities.

And had Jermain Defoe not popped up with a trademark goal in the final minute, we’d be talking about a win that would – in light of what’s at stake – have topped any other this year.

Spurs must hate tangerine. Battered 3-1 at Bloomfield Road a couple of months back, they were again given a rude awakening here.

With Manchester City losing before this game even kicked off, Harry Redknapp’s side knew a win would keep them in with a shout of that much coveted fourth-place.

It gave them extra incentive. They could almost taste victory.

But they hadn’t reckoned on Blackpool, scrapping like tigers in every part of the pitch, straining every sinew to get a result.

It is no coincidence that there has been a marked upturn in the Seasiders’ fortunes since the manager returned to his tried and trusted.

Again on Saturday, 10 of the starting 11 were from last season’s Championship campaign.

The action was ferocious and constant right from the off.

Spurs had the lion’s share of possession first half, but the visitors – cheered on by fantastic support – had the best two chances.

They came within 60 seconds of each other. Charlie Adam’s rasping 23rd-minute volley was somehow kept out by the unpredictable, but undeniably talented, Heurelho Gomes.

Moments later, Adam put a corner on to the head of the unmarked Sergei Kornilenko, but the striker headed over from six yards.

Holloway must have been delighted at the break, while Harry Redknapp frustrated.

The Tottenham boss obviously let his team know because his troops started the second period like a house on fire.

Redknapp’s decision to replace the ineffective Roman Pavlyuchenko with Aaron Lennon helped.

Lennon, so fast Usain Bolt might consider using him as a training partner, almost created a goal straightaway, tearing down the right and putting Rafael van der Vaart through.

But the Dutchman – not half as effective now as he was at the start of the campaign – shot wastefully over.

From then till the hour mark, Tottenham were flying.

Gareth Bale twice came close, Luka Modric headed too high, and Matt Gilks saved Van der Vaart’s chip.

Admittedly David Vaughan shot narrowly wide for Pool, but it seemed as though it was a matter of time before the home side went ahead.

Then, on the hour, Adam mistimed a tackle on Bale and the game stopped for six minutes while the Welshman received treatment.

Unlike some suggest (namely Kevin Keegan), Adam didn’t deliberately try to hurt Bale. Cliche it may be, but he really isn’t that type of player.

It was just clumsy, and Adam will be hoping as much as anyone else that Bale hasn’t suffered serious damage to his ankle.

What isn’t in doubt is that the stoppage in play helped Pool immensely.

It allowed them to regroup and when play resumed, Tottenham couldn’t get their game going again.

The Seasiders grew in confidence and scored after a frantic few minutes of pressure.

First, set up perfectly by Southern, DJ Campbell shot straight at Gomes from point-blank range, the keeper turning the ball behind. From the corner, Spurs skipper Michael Dawson handled. Penalty.

Adam grabbed the ball, as he always does, but Gomes pulled off a fine stop to his left, tipping the skipper’s shot around the post.

Here’s where Adam deserves huge credit. He didn’t spend 60 seconds with head in hands, bemoaning his miss like some big drama queen.

He ran straight to the corner flag and whipped the ball back into the danger area.

Gomes was still pumped up from his save seconds earlier and, high on adrenaline, lunged at Gary Taylor-Fletcher – a slightly soft penalty, but, hey, how many have Pool not been given?

The fun didn’t end here. Adam charged 50 yards down the pitch to grab the ball.

Campbell tried to wrestle it off him but Adam was having none of it.

This was live on TV and Adam wanted to show everyone watching that he wasn’t the type to shirk his duties.

If he’d missed again he would have looked a right plonker. No danger of that. Bang, down the centre. Gomes didn’t have a prayer.

Adam celebrated wildly, almost in tears such was his emotion.

So were the Blackpool fans but no wonder: it’s the first goal they’ve seen in London all season.

Meanwhile, Campbell was still fuming and shoved away Ian Evatt and Stephen Crainey, who had gone to give him a consoling pat on the back.

Quite bizarre really. One can understand a born goalscorer like Campbell being a little cheesed off if he’d been promised he could take pens if Charlie missed.

But to still be sulking after his team had scored a goal to lead 1-0 at Tottenham and stand on the verge of a result that could have a massive bearing on their Premier League future? Strange to say the least.

The bad feeling carried on afterwards in the dressing room – hopefully they’ll put it to bed on the training ground this week.

Puncheon then missed a great chance (superbly set up by Campbell, who, outburst aside, played as well as ever), which proved costly.

With 60 seconds of normal time remaining, Defoe got a yard or two of space on the edge of the area and smacked a low right-footed shot past Gilks and into the bottom corner. Quality finish.

Puncheon could have won it at the end of six long minutes of stoppage time, with Pool breaking and almost catching the home side with their pants down, but it wasn’t to be.

A point will do nicely though, and what a game it will now be against Bolton.

Holloway’s men need to win it, of that there is almost no doubt, and it could be the Lancashire derby to end all derbies.

Fingers crossed, it’s going to be a hell of a fortnight.

TEAMS

Tottenham: Gomes, Gallas, Kaboul, Dawson, Rose (Kranjcar), Sandro, Modric, Van Der Vaart, Bale (Crouch), Defoe, Pavlyuchenko (Lennon)

Blackpool: Gilks, Eardley (Beattie), Evatt, Baptiste, Crainey, Southern, Vaughan, Adam, Taylor-Fletcher (Cathcart), Kornilenko (Puncheon), Campbell