Howard saves Everton

Everton scored twice and goalkeeper Tim Howard saved an injury-time penalty as the hosts fought back to draw 2-2 with Tottenham at Goodison Park.

The visitors led through Jermain Defoe's 13th goal of the season and Michael Dawson's header, both scored early in the second half.

However, strikes from substitute Louis Saha and Tim Cahill in the last 12 minutes and Howard's spot-kick save earned a point.

The result cost Spurs the chance of returning to third in the table and despite the morale boost it also extended Everton's woeful run to one win in their last nine Barclays Premier League matches.

David Moyes' side, ravaged by a lengthening injury list, are three points above the relegation zone with little prospect of seeing their major stars return before the new year.

Defoe opened the scoring just after the break when Aaron Lennon whipped in a cross from the right and the England striker nipped in front of Tony Hibbert at the near post.

Spurs went two up when, from Niko Kranjcar's 59th-minute corner, Lucas Neill allowed Dawson to escape him in the penalty area and the centre-back dived low to score in successive league matches.

But Everton got themselves back in the game when young full-back Seamus Coleman drove towards the byline before crossing to Saha who fired high into the net.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Saha, with an overhead kick, both went close late on before Cahill equalised with a low header from Leighton Baines' cross four minutes from time.

Two minutes into added time Hibbert's challenge on Wilson Palacios earned Tottenham a penalty but Defoe blasted straight at Howard. The penalty incident dealt Spurs a further blow when it was revealed after full time that Palacios had been taken to hospital with suspected concussion.