Barnsley goalkeeper David Watson emerged the hero with a last-gasp stop which
may save his side from relegation.
Danny Wilson's team had suffered four heartbreaking defeats in their last five
games by conceding goals in the last 10 minutes and it looked odds-on they would
do so again as Tottenham's David Ginola was through on Barnsley's goal seconds
into injury-time.
Nicola Berti's through ball split the Tykes defence leaving Ginola, with three
goals already this season against Barnsley, with only Watson to beat.
But the player who has been inspirational in the last few months produced what
could be one of those defining moments in a season by beating away Ginola's
right-foot flick.
The goal would have put Tottenham five points clear of the drop zone, but they
remain only two ahead, and the prospect of relegation still haunts both teams.
Barnsley's battling attitude and the performance of the season from a partisan
and constantly vocal crowd initially looked set to earn them the win.
But Tottenham, who had Ramon Vega dismissed for a professional foul in the
65th minute, showed that beneath all that flair, they too can grind out results
and will be favourites to survive.
Barnsley still have to face title-challengers Arsenal and Manchester United,
at home, in two of their last three games.
For Spurs, this was only their third point out of their last 12 and their
off-field bickering was evident at times on the pitch.
Barnsley grabbed the lead in the 19th minute with a strike likely to be a
candidate for goal of the season.
Martin Bullock picked up the ball wide on the right and went on a mazy run,
jinking past three Tottenham players and into the penalty area, before laying
off to Neil Redfearn.
The Tykes skipper, and leading scorer, then sidefooted home his 14th goal of
the season into the roof of the net past keeper Ian Walker.
The lead should have been Barnsley's just four minutes earlier when a Jan-Aage
Fjortoft shot spun off Sol Campbell and into the path of South African Eric
Tinkler whose acutely-angled shot flashed across the face of goal, shaving the
right-hand post.
Jurgen Klinsmann's error had set up that chance and the German international
committed another gaffe after 25 minutes.
Allan Nielsen suppplied the cross for Les Ferdinand to turn Adie Moses and
give Klinsmann a clear sight of goal, but with Watson to beat from six yards he
scooped a left-foot shot over the bar.
Fjortoft twice worked his way furiously to the bye-line, pulling the ball
back into space right in front of goal, but twice there was no red shirt on hand
to hammer home the opportunity.
A Redfearn corner to the far post only just evaded Tinkler's outstretched
right foot, while Ward saw a goalbound effort superbly blocked by Ramon Vega.
But within two minutes of the restart Spurs were level. Ferdinand's powerful
right foot shot from 14 yards was beaten away by Watson and from Ginola's
corner, Nicky Eaden hacked a header off the line from the England
international.
But the ball only went as far as Allan Nielsen on the edge of the area, with
his shot directed through a crowded penalty area by Colin Calderwood for his
fifth of the season.
Barnsley came close to adding a second just after the hour when Ward's
free-header from six yards was directed at Walker.
Then six minutes later Spurs were reduced to 10 men when Vega was shown the
red card by referee Martin Bodenham when he hauled down Ward just outside the
area and with the Swiss international being the last line of defence
Darren Barnard made a hash of the free-kick and this led to a Tottenham
counter-attack and Adie Moses bringing down Chris Armstrong, on a as a half-time
sub for Klinsmann, and with it a yellow card.
Ginola's curler saw Watson punch clear, but in doing so he collided with Arjan
de Zeeuw and appeared spark out before eventually carrying on after treatment.
He was suitably alert to parry an Armstrong shot wide in the 75th minute and
then came his moment of glory which ensures the relegation battle going to the
wire.
Teams:
Barnsley: Watson, Eaden, Moses, De Zeeuw, Redfearn, Bullock,
Jones (Hendrie 76), Tinkler (Marcelle 88), Barnard, Ward,
Fjortoft.
Subs Not Used: Appleby, Liddell, Leese.
Booked: Bullock, Tinkler, Moses.
Goals: Redfearn 19.
Tottenham:Walker, Calderwood, Fox, Nielsen,
Ferdinand (Anderton 70), Carr, Ginola, Vega, Campbell,
Klinsmann (Armstrong 45), Berti.
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Scales, Clemence.
Sent Off: Vega (65).
Booked: Fox, Calderwood.
Goals: Calderwood 47.
Att: 18,692
Ref: M J Bodenham (East Looe).
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