Blues weather Spurs storm

Tottenham and Chelsea shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane as both sides lost ground in the Premier League title race.

Spurs looked set to continue their recent dominance over their west London opponents as Gareth Bale, passed fit only an hour before kick-off, created Emmanuel Adebayor's early opener.

But Chelsea hit back and Daniel Sturridge levelled with his ninth goal of the campaign midway through the first half and that is how it ended as neither side could go on to get the win that would have closed the gap on the two Manchester sides above them in the league.

Spurs enjoyed the dream start and went ahead in the eighth minute when superb work from Bale set up Adebayor to nip in from close range.

Chelsea responded, though, and Sturridge should have levelled after Brad Friedel had parried Juan Mata's drive, but the winger fired over.

He made no mistake midway through the first half, however, as he was in the perfect position to turn in Ashley Cole's centre from a couple of yards out, with Spurs complaining of a Cole handball in the build up.

It was Chelsea who could have then taken the lead as Didier Drogba superbly controlled before his left-footed effort cannoned off the woodwork.

The visitors started the second period on top and Friedel was forced into a smart double save to keep his side on level terms.

First he made a superb block to deny Ramires and then from the resulting corner he held John Terry's header.

Both sides had chances to win it at the death as Ramires headed criminally wide for Chelsea with the goal gaping and then in added time man-of-the-moment Terry heroically cleared off the line from Adebayor's effort with Petr Cech beaten.