Tottenham fight back from two goals down to earn draw at Everton

Tottenham came from two down to claim a 2-2 draw with Everton in the Women’s Super League.

The hosts were two up inside 15 minutes through Sara Holmgaard and Justine Vanhaevermaet, but mistakes in defence contributed to Spurs pulling level, Drew Spence and Bethany England netting either side of half-time.

It was the visitors who had virtually all the chances thereafter but a fine individual performance from Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan preserved a point for her side.

Spurs began the brighter, with Spence, back in the side after injury, and Matilda Vinberg both seeing shots comfortably saved by Brosnan.

But it was Everton who found the early breakthrough, Spurs paying for giving the ball away and neat play from the home side set up Holmgaard for a sweetly-struck shot into the far corner from the left of the box.

Five minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage, this time a corner caused chaos in the Spurs box and Vanhaevermaet stabbed in at the far post.

Grace Clinton had a shot from the edge of the box saved by Brosnan as Spurs sought a response before the Everton keeper pushed a header from England over the bar.

They came even closer in the 33rd minute, Spence beating Brosnan but hitting the post after Everton gave the ball away on the edge of their box.

An open game saw chances at both ends, and Everton would surely have scored a third a few minutes later but for a brilliant clearance from Emma Bissell after Ashleigh Neville sent a dangerous ball across goal.

Katja Snoeijs then appealed for a free-kick just outside the box after breaking through the Spurs defence and going down under pressure from Molly Bartrip but the referee did not deem it a foul.

Just before half-time, Spurs found a way back into the match, Spence beating Brosnan to a long ball in the middle of the box and running it into the net.

Everton’s determination to play the ball out from the back cost them dear three minutes after the break, with Spence outmuscling Vanhaevermaet and setting up England, who could not miss.

It was the visitors in the ascendancy now and they twice went close to taking the lead shortly after the equaliser, first Amanda Nilden sending a shot across goal before Jess Naz fired over.

The Toffees managed to ride the storm, but they needed Brosnan again in the 74th minute, the keeper pushing away a shot from substitute Wang Shuang.

Brosnan was keeping her side level as she produced two more fine saves to deny Martha Thomas and Kit Graham as Spurs pushed hard for a winner that would not come.