Birmingham dent Spurs' ambitions

LIAM Ridgewell's last-minute strike denied Tottenham a precious victory at Birmingham and left Harry Redknapp's men clinging on to fourth place in the Barclays Premier League.

Ridgewell finished off a header across goal by Cameron Jerome to snatch a 1-1 draw for the home side after Spurs looked set to claim victory through Jermain Defoe's 69th-minute effort.

There was no such late drama for Rafael Benitez's Liverpool, who coasted to a 2-0 win over Owen Coyle's Bolton at Anfield.

Dirk Kuyt stabbed home the opener in the 37th minute and Liverpool's nerves were finally eased in the 70th minute when a shot from Emiliano Insua took a huge deflection off Kevin Davies and squirted past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

Villa also kept up the pace with a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage thanks to two goals late in the first half from Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Mick McCarthy's Wolves twice came from behind to grab a potentially vital point in a 2-2 draw at Hull.

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink opened the scoring for Hull in the 11th minute but the visitors equalised through Anthony Gardner.

Stephen Hunt rattled Hull back into the lead from the spot after a silly foul by Ronald Zubar, before Matt Jarvis equalised on 67 minutes.

Tim Cahill headed home an 84th-minute corner from former Latic Leighton Baines to give Everton a hard-fought but well-earned 1-0 win over Wigan at the DW Stadium.

The visitors dominated, with Louis Saha denied a clear penalty after a trip by Gary Caldwell.

West Ham's first game at Upton Park under new ownership did not go entirely to plan as they had to hang on for a goalless draw with Blackburn. Morten Gamst Pedersen hit the bar and Gael Givet saw a shot cleared off the line for Rovers.