Everton vs. Tottenham: 10 Moments That Drove Spurs Fans to Drink

Tottenham came into Goodison Park looking to end a two-match losing streak in the Premier League.  But a flat performance and the first Everton goal for Croatian forward Nikica Jelavic meant that Spurs would drop three in a row for the first time under manager Harry Redknapp.

That's the summary.  But we're going deeper.  These are the 10 moments when an inch this way or an inch that way could have given Tottenham just a bit more breathing space between themselves and the pair of teams (Arsenal and Chelsea) looming in their rear-view mirror.

The First Penalty Shout

In the 17th minute, Jermain Defoe received the ball deep in Everton's end.  The little forward beat Johnny Heitinga on the turn and drove into the middle of the penalty area.

Heitinga struggled to recover and lunged in from behind as Defoe prepared to uncork his shot. Heitinga hit Defoe, Defoe's shot misfired, and every Tottenham fan screamed for a penalty.

Why Would We Mark the Forwards?

Five minutes after Defoe cried foul, Everton put themselves ahead. Leon Osman burst into the left side of the area, drew attention from three defenders, and cut the ball back toward the penalty spot.

Standing completely unmarked, 12 yards from goal, Jelavic couldn't believe his good fortune. He calmly side-footed the ball toward the corner and watched as it brushed Tottenham keeper Brad Friedel's fingertips before hitting the back of the net.

Jermain Defoe Threads the Needle

With Emmanuel Adebayor providing nothing all match long, the burden up front fell to Spurs' No. 18.  As the second half began, Defoe received on the run at the top of the area. He cut the ball back on his right and fired a shot between two Everton defenders.

Unfortunately, Everton keeper Tim Howard wasn't quite as shielded as he would have needed to be.  The American dove to his right and pushed Defoe's effort around the post.

Luka Modric Gets His Feet Tangled

Just two minutes later, Spurs left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto sizzled a ball into the feet of Luka Modric at the top of the area.

As the ball arrived, Defoe pulled off his defender and the penetrating little pass would have put him in free on goal. Unfortunately, Modric couldn't get the ball out of his feet and it was tackled away.

With their team not getting many, Tottenham fans began to take shots. Some took doubles.

Jermain Defoe Hits Tim Howard in the Chest

A 53rd-minute counterattack looked promising for Tottenham. Scott Parker pushed with the ball as Defoe ran a diagonal across the face of the retreating defenders ahead of him.

Parker played Defoe down the left and the forward fired a shot on goal. Despite striking it well, Defoe (and Spurs fans) were dismayed to see Tim Howard make the catch without taking a sideways step.

Sandro Gets Free, but Can't Make It Pay

Sandro Ranieri is charged with making tough tackles and disrupting opponents from his defensive midfield role. So it's no knock to point out that he hasn't scored a goal this season.

Even armed with that knowledge, Tottenham fans envisioned an equalizer as the big man pulled off his defender toward the far post to meet a 56th-minute corner kick.

But hopes were dashed and sorrows drowned as the Brazilian's poor contact on the header sent it fluttering wide of goal.

Luka Modric Wastes a Gift

Tottenham's next forward movement saw Assou-Ekotto's cross strike an Everton defender and take the best possible bounce to land at the feet of an unmolested Luka Modric.

Just about 10 yards from goal, with nothing but open space between him and Everton's Howard, Modric rushed his shot and shanked it high.

Jermain Defoe Scores, but Doesn't

Another Assou-Ekotto cross as the match moved into the final quarter-hour. The ball found Gareth Bale, who chested it (intentionally or not) through traffic to a waiting Defoe.

The Tottenham forward turned on the ball and smashed it past Howard into the waiting net.  Defoe celebrated, but the assistant referee's flag spoiled the party, driving Spurs fans from beer to harder liquor.

Leighton Baines Lends a Hand

They may cheer him in the England squad, but Spurs fans hated Leighton Baines with a passion after he appeared to get away with handling a ball in the Everton area.

It happened two minutes into added time as Tottenham pushed everyone forward in search of the equalizer. Substitute Jake Livermore tried to thread a pass in the area, it bounced up off Baines' foot, and the Everton left-back threw his arm out to block it down.

Referee Mark Halsey called nothing and Tottenham's frustration reached fever pitch.

Louis Saha Beats Everyone but the Post

Deep into added time, Tim Howard could only watch as a shot fired through traffic ended up on the dangerous left boot of his former teammate, Louis Saha.

Saha's quick shot from close range beat Howard, but the post got the better of him.

Howard breathed a sigh of relief, Spurs fans cursed the gods and Harry Redknapp started to lose track of the last time his team won.