Jenas steals point for Tottenham as dominant Arsenal miss their chance

"Lucky old Arsenal" hit the woodwork three times before turning second-half dominance into the goals which seemed certain to bring a happy end to a turbulent week.

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But a Jermaine Jenas thunderbolt deep into stoppage-time, Tottenham's only shot of the second half, stole a point which Martin Jol's team did not merit having let slip yet another lead against their bitter rivals.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was pleased with the mental strength his players had shown but not the result.

"It feels like a defeat," said Wenger. "In the second half we should have scored five goals. It's even more frustrating to lose a goal so close to the end.

"Considering we were 1-0 down after the week we had, the way we came out in the second half to show togetherness, spirit, determination and the quality of our football was remarkable."

So was the goal which left the Arsenal fans choking on their taunts.

With the four minutes of added-time which had been signalled by the fourth official already over, Jenas exchanged passes with Steed Malbranque and struck a wonderful, right-foot shot from 30 yards which fizzed into the corner of Jens Lehmann's net.

Cue pandemonium in the stands to match the celebrations which had greeted Robbie Keane's opening goal on the half-hour.

Jol said: "Their fans were singing that we messed it up in the Carling Cup. Today they messed it up.

"If you had told me at halftime that we would draw the game I would have been disappointed. But looking at the second half, I felt they could have scored a third and perhaps a fourth. It wasn't a lucky goal because he does that sort of stuff in training all the time."

After a promising start, in which Tottenham took the initiative with what was effectively a 4-3-3 formation, the game was scrappy and unmemorable until the home team took the lead.

Arsenal's defence allowed Michael Dawson to win a header from a corner and then Keane to divert the ball into the net with his head.

But Emmanuel Eboue and Emmanuel Adebayor went close for Arsenal in the first half and they dominated the second, Kolo Toure hitting the post with one header and Adebayor the bar.

But the woodwork could not save Spurs again when Toure met Cesc Fabregas's free-kick and forced the ball in off Paul Robinson's shin.

Jol rejected criticism of his decision to bring on Tom Huddlestone for the disappointing Aaron Lennon, but the apparent lack of ambition was severely punished. Huddlestone committed a silly foul on Eboue, Fabregas swung in another free-kick and Adebayor headed in but Jenas had the last word.