PLAYERS who score hat-tricks invariably take home the match ball, those not so fortunate but possessing a gregarious nature tend to accumulate the shirts of opponents. Mark Viduka would be justified in asking for the left boot of Tottenham fullback Mauricio Taricco to add to his trophy cabinet collection.

The timely intervention of the Argentine No 3, sprinting into his goalmouth with seven minutes remaining and hoofing the ball clear as Harry Kewell’s tantalisingly delivered chip from the left seemed destined for his fellow Australian, certainly denied the once-more prolific Viduka a hat-trick for the second week in succession.

Tarrico’s heroics also prevented Leeds from gaining another victory, which not only would have been a further impressive addition to Peter Reid’s case for future employment, but would also have taken the club to 40 points — unofficially regarded as the numerical equivalent of absolute safety.

Reid, insistent that he is no mathematician, does not subscribe to the theory. However he acknowledged his team seemed stricken by mass anxiety once the reassurance of an early lead had been negated by Spurs scoring twice in three minutes.

He did agree that a Leeds win would have dealt the Londoners a gross injustice after the visitors had looked set for a rare win on their travels until American goalkeeper Kasey Keller seemed to get his sports confused. Assuming the role of a gridiron linebacker he tried to take out an onrushing Kewell by the neck before Viduka confidently stroked home a 76th- minute equaliser from the penalty spot.

Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle rightly made the point that a 2-1 lead with basically a quarter of an hour remaining would probably have assured his team of victory just a matter of weeks ago when Leeds appeared to be spiralling downwards towards relegation. This morning the Yorkshire side sit only six points above West Ham with five matches to play including encounters with Championship favourites Arsenal and fellow outside candidates for the drop, Fulham and Aston Villa. A position, as far as Reid is concerned, that is anything but comfortable.

History was against the visitors as they had lost each of their previous five Premiership visits to this bit of Yorkshire and they went behind in the 31st minute. Eirik Bakke lobbed a forward pass into the Spurs penalty area and Kewell, drifting away from the left flank into what was once known as the inside right channel, momentarily held the ball up before slipping it delightfully into the path of the onrushing Viduka who required just one controlling touch before claiming the lead.

Robbie Keane — who left Leeds for £7m last August — had an air shot, much to the mirth of those fans who used to cheer his cartwheeling goal celebrations, but not long afterwards it was Keane who had good reason to mock. First Leeds had paid the price for allowing Teddy Sheringham a few yards of freedom at a set play when Darren Anderton’s left-wing corner was glanced on by Goran Bunjevcevic and Spurs’ 37-year-old captain showed he had lost none of his striking instincts by heading in a 12th goal of the season to equalise.

Then Keane himself delved into his memory bank to expose the deficiencies of his former teammates and take the lead. Starting a telling run deep and near the right touchline, he first exposed Ian Harte’s lack of pace by darting past an initial challenge. Next he benefited from the indecisiveness of Bakke’s tackling and then ruined Lucas Radebe’s 34th birthday by proving the South African is not as fleet of foot as in years gone by. All Paul Robinson could do was pick the ball out of his net. But the final chapter saw Leeds force their way back into contention with Viduka’s equalising penalty.

Leeds United: Robinson, Mills (Milner 63min), Radebe, Duberry, Harte (Wilcox 74min), Kelly, Bakke, Matteo, Kewell, Smith, Viduka

Tottenham Hotspur: Keller, Carr, Gardner, King, Taricco, Davies, Bunjevcevic, Poyet (Etherington 87min), Anderton, Sheringham, Keane

Scorers: Leeds Utd: Viduka 31, 76 pen

Tottenham: Sheringham 37, Keane 39

Referee: R Styles

Attendance: 39,560

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