LONDON // - Jermain Defoe fired an equaliser against his former club as Tottenham drew 1-1 with Portsmouth on Sunday to climb away from last place in the Premier League. After David Nugent had given Pompey the lead, Defoe, who returned to Tottenham nine days ago, scored to secure a point that sent Spurs up four places in the crowded bottom half of the table. Portsmouth also moved up three places to 12th after facing former manager Harry Redknapp for the first time since he left Pompey for Spurs in late October. "We missed chance after chance late on, you're never going to get a better chance to win a football match like we had," said Redknapp, who led Portsmouth to a FA Cup triumph last season and into the Uefa Cup before moving to Tottenham. "I thought we showed great character to come back from 1-0 down. They could have easily hid and felt sorry for themselves. If we continue to play like this we won't have a (relegation) problem." The draw sent West Bromwich Albion, who beat Middlesbrough 3-0 on Saturday, back to the bottom on goal difference but they are one of five clubs on 21 points. Nugent gave Portsmouth a 59th-minute lead with a low angled shot from a breakaway after the Pompey goalkeeper David James had made a reflex save at the other end of the field. Aaron Lennon's shot took a big deflection but James managed to change direction and save at the foot of the post before the ball was swept up field. It was one of a series of top-quality saves by the England goalkeeper who also acrobatically tipped a header from Defoe over the bar and blocked a glancing header from the substitute Darren Bent in the first half. Bent was on the field because the Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko was carried off with a leg injury in the first half and Spurs also lost defender Ledley King before half-time. In a thrilling, end-to-end game, Defoe levelled in the 70th minute with a low, left foot, shot from a lay-off by Luka Modric. Bent should have added a second in the 79th minute but headed wide of the far post while unmarked. "He should have scored, it was an open goal," Redknapp said. "Jamo (goalkeeper James) had given it up."
*AP
