Football: Sheringham's persistence good to the last: Two-goal finale lifts Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Everton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

DARREN ANDERTON played like an England winger of the not-too-distant future, Teddy Sheringham moved heaven and earth to secure his international place today, and together they averted a travesty yesterday by transforming a deficit into a Tottenham victory in the last three minutes of one of the best matches of the Premiership to date.

It was Darren Caskey who supplied the winner deep in stoppage time, but he was the first to acknowledge that Anderton and Sheringham were the real architects of a result which hoists Spurs into fifth place in the table.

For a long time Everton threatened to burgle a win against the run of play. Spurs created the bulk of the chances, but were denied until that frenetic finale by the enduring excellence of Neville Southall.

Everton's strikers existed on starvation rations by comparison, yet they were leading as late as the 88th minute, courtesy of a near-post header from Paul Rideout and a second-half penalty which provided Tony Cottee with his seventh goal of the season.

Scarcely able to believe his luck, Howard Kendall made an ill-advised substitution with 16 minutes left, replacing Peter Beagrie, who had just shivered Eric Thorstvedt's crossbar, with the less dangerous Predrag Radosavljevic.

Everton had gone ahead after 16 minutes, when their first attack of consequence saw Andy Hinchcliffe and Mark Ward work the ball to Paul Holmes, whose teasing cross from the right lured Thorstvedt from his line. Rideout's head beat the goalkeeper to the ball, and suddenly Tottenham were chasing the game.

That it took them so long to catch up with it was down to Southall, who made saves of the highest order. But the equaliser came after 58 minutes from an inevitable source, Sheringham. Before the game the country's most prolific striker had been presented with yet another award to mark his achievement in finishing top scorer in the Premier League last season. He is leading the field this time with nine - the ninth taking the form of a well- directed header from Danny Hill's left-wing cross.

After 67 minutes, Gary Mabbutt marred his 500th appearance for Tottenham by bowling over Cottee, who made short work of the consequent penalty.

Anderton ran Everton ragged on the flanks, Sheringham was menace personified in the goalmouth, but parity, and justice, were elusive. By the time they were attained, hundreds had already left and will presumably have kicked themselves all the way home.

Just 75 seconds of normal time remained when Sheringham's mishit shot became the perfect cross for Anderton, who turned it in at close range.

Everton were still cursing the concession of two points when they lost the third. Southall beat out Sheringham's shot, only to be let down by Holmes, whose misdirected clearance ran straight to Caskey. The 19-year-old England Youth captain kept his nerve to steer the winner through Gary Ablett's legs and complete a memorable turnaround.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-2-1-2): Thorstvedt; Kerslake, Calderwood, Mabbutt, Campbell (Hill 20, Moran 74); Samways; Caskey, Sedgley; Dozzell; Anderton, Sheringham. Substitute not used: Walker (gk).

Everton (4-4-2): Southall; Holmes, Jackson, Ablett, Hinchcliffe; Ward, Ebbrell, Horne, Beagrie (Radosavljevic, 74); Cottee (Barlow, 88), Rideout. Substitute not used: Kearton (gk).

Referee: R Milford (Bristol).