Spurs' Chris Armstrong bundled in a late equaliser as Everton's ragged defence finally cracked in a tense relegation struggle at White Hart Lane today.

Although Tottenham again frustrated their fans by failing to put together two consecutive wins after last week's vital success at Crystal Palace, they emerged better pleased with a share of the spoils then their fellow strugglers from Merseyside.

Everton needed all three points to climb above Spurs and put breathing space between themselves and the bottom three in the Premiership.

For a long time it looked likely after French striker Mickael Madar profited from appalling defending to put Howard Kendall's team ahead on 24 minutes with his third goal in as many games.

Madar, who had a trial at Spurs earlier this season but opted to join Everton instead, sprinted through unopposed to coolly beat helpless goalkeeper Ian Walker when England defender Sol Campbell gave the ball away and the Spurs defence tried to lay an offside trap.

As Spurs stepped forward, Madar raced through on to former Tottenham midfielder Nicky Barmby's instant pass and finished in style.

After that Spurs battered at the barn door - erected by Everton's three giants in central defence, Dave Watson, Craig Short and young Irishman Richard Dunne - but rarely threatened to unlock it until Armstrong's brave effort 16 minutes from the end.

The striker had been booked for the second game in a row, this time for deliberate hand ball having been shown a yellow card at Palace last week for alleged diving.

Then it was Tottenham's David Ginola's turn to go into referee Alan Wilkie's book for feigning a foul on him, but the Frenchman was also the man who kept chipping away at Everton's staunch rearguard even though he sometimes drove his team-mates to exasperation by going on alone in search of the final strike.

It was substitute Moussa Saib who finally instigated the breakthrough for Spurs, however, just three minutes after replacing Nicola Berti.

His ball forward was headed across goal by Ramon Vega, and Armstrong threw himself forward to force it past previously untroubled Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre.

Eight players were booked in a physical battle, but to Spurs' credit Ginola and Armstrong kept trying to impose silky skills on an otherwise gritty encounter.

Young midfielder Gavin McCann made his first Premiership start for Everton and was one of the players booked for a late tackle on Ginola. But Spurs showed they could also play it tough, and manager Christian Gross will have been pleased with their commitment.

The turning point seemed to have come just after half-time when, after Jurgen Klinsmann had been denied close in by Dave Watson's superb tackle to stop a certain goal, the ball was cleared for big Duncan Ferguson to run at the Spurs defence.

Ferguson linked with Madar, who set him up with a silky touch. But the big Scot, back in action after four weeks out through suspension and a knee injury, fired over with the goal gaping.

Spurs followed that escape with another near miss by Klinsmann, whose flying header from a Steve Carr cross was just wide of the mark. Then, as they persevered, Armstrong duly registered the point-saver with his sixth goal of the season.

There was still one more twist in the tail as Everton relieved heavy pressure with a lightning counter-attack and Michael Ball's shot on the turn was kept out by Walker at full stretch.

Teams

Tottenham: Walker, Fox, Nielsen, Armstrong, Carr (Howells 79), Ginola, Vega, Wilson (Calderwood 58), Campbell, Klinsmann, Berti (Saib 70).

Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Clemence.

Booked: Ginola, Armstrong, Carr.

Goals: Armstrong 74.

Everton: Myhre, Watson, Madar (Spencer 79), Barmby, Ferguson, Hutchison, Short, McCann, Ball, Dunne, O'Kane.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Beagrie, Farrelly, Cadamarteri.

Booked: Barmby, Madar, Ball, McCann, O'Kane.

Goals: Madar 24.

Att: 35,624

Ref: A B Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).