Wanderers 1 TOTTENHAM 1: THERE were times in his early Reebok days when few would have complained if Wanderers had cut their losses on Dean Holdsworth.

The record £3.5 million signing did not have the best of times and his fan base was thin, to say the least.

The intervening four and a half years have seen a conversion to rival St Paul's Damascus experience.

Bolton fans have taken Holdsworth to their hearts and the striker has responded in kind with his wholehearted commitment to the cause. If he leaves in the summer, which is not beyond the realms of possibility, Wanderer will have had more than their money's worth.

What price the point that could have banked another season of Premiership riches?

Sam Allardyce was in need of inspiration on Saturday and his prayers were answered as Holdsworth came off the subs' bench to nudge Wanderers onto 40 points - not enough to keep them up in 97-98 but surely sufficient this time.

Whether he is around to enjoy the benefits will depend on talks he has planned with the manager at the end of the season.

"Do I want to stay and play in the Premier League?" says the Londoner, mockingly feigning indecision. "Of course I do!

"That's why I came."

Holdsworth, without a Premiership goal since he fluked the late matchwinner against Liverpool on August 27, may have been reduced to cameo roles this season but Allardyce knew just where to turn when he realised Fredi Bobic and Rod Wallace, who did the trick against Ipswich a fortnight earlier, were getting nowhere.

Spurs looked comfortable after Stefen Iversen got the benefit of the first of two crucial offside decisions to put them in front on eight minutes, defending solidly and causing problems on counter-attacks. Wanderers were getting a dose of their own medicine. But the introduction of Holdsworth and Michael Ricketts and a switch of formation that gave Simon Charlton the licence to get forward on the left gave them a new dimension - enough to rescue a vital point and desperately close to claiming all three.

The second sliderule offside verdict denied Ricketts a superb matchwinner that would have done his confidence a power of good and Youri Djorkaeff - the game's most talented individual by a country mile - hit the crossbar with a free kick curled delicately over the Spurs wall and out of Kasey Keller's reach.

Glenn Hoddle argued with some justification that Spurs should have had the points in the bag before Holdsworth, playing with purpose and intelligence, punished Ben Thatcher - his old Wimbledon team-mate - for missing a routine clearance. Indeed Wanderers would have been two down at half time if the hard-working Per Frandsen had not got an important block on a Simon Davies shot when defenders were being pulled all over the shop.

The game turned in one crucial minute. Spurs, who were playing neatly and swiftly on the break, looked like walking the ball in when Tim Sherwood and Gus Poyet laid on a gilt-edged chance which Sergei Rebrov somehow managed to squander. It was a misdemeanor that was punished seconds later when Holdsworth equalised and which ultimately led to Hoddle substituting his substitute.

The £11 million man was not amused, nor was his manager who showed not a hint of sympathy for the Ukraine, whose White Hart Lane days appear to be numbered.

Hoddle refused to comment on Rebrov's future but said: "To go 2-1 up was the key for us. In the second half we were in control for long periods and created that super chance for Sergei. If that goes in, we weather the storm and come out winners."

But while the Spurs boss bemoaned his side's misfortune - "For anybody who hasn't seen us, this sums up our season" - Allardyce had good reason to believe Wanderers might have snatched it themselves, finishing the game far and away the stronger side.

He was "reasonably satisfied" with a point but still refuses to claim victory in the battle for survival, acknowledging that, if Fulham and Blackburn can win at Leeds and Middlesbrough respectively, nothing can be taken for granted.

To all intents and purposes, Wanderers secured their Premiership future when they defeated and demoralised Ipswich at the Reebok. Saturday's point gives them added insurance against a final fling from George Burley's Tractor Boys but even the ever-optimistic Holdsworth is playing it safe.

"We won't rest on that," he insits. "We'll go on and do our best in every game. We owe that to everyone at the club and it's important to us.

"That was an extremely valuable point and we could have maybe gone on and won the game.

"That goal has been a long time coming. It was important for me and vital for the team. It eased our nerves a little bit and gave us some confidence."

Wanderers had hoped to settle a few scores, having lost at Spurs three times in two mid-season months, but Hoddle's men are no mugs. Not good enough to challenge for the top Premiership honours but in Sherwood, Poyet, Darren Anderton and Teddy Sheringham, they have quality players in the creative department and until Allardyce opted for the change of system and personnel, they were good value for their 1-0 lead.

Nevertheless, Wanderers possessed the game's brightest talent. There were times as they struggled to find a way through and grew increasingly frustrated by the officials when Djorkaeff looked a little jaded after his efforts for France three nights earlier. When he failed to take a first half chance set up by a glorious lofted pass by Bruno N'Gotty, it looked like this was not going to be his day.

But he never stopped trying to weave his magic and he ran the show for the last half hour - hungry for the ball, constantly aware of situations and continually looking to make the telling pass. France coach Roger Lemerre is well-blessed with talented individuals but he surely can't go to the Orient without Djorkaeff.

And if Denmark can overlook Frandsen, Morten Olsen much have midfield riches beyond compare.