SAM Allardyce has proved once again that successful managers are not frightened of making tough decisions and decisive action.

Fredi Bobic, the hat-trick hero against Ipswich last time out, and his livewire sidekick Rod Wallace saw their numbers up in a double substitution against Spurs on Saturdaythat salvaged what could prove a priceless survival point.

Where they had toiled before, Wanderers had a new dimension with the introduction of Dean Holdsworth and Michael Ricketts and a subtle switch of formation that gave Simon Charlton licence to get forward in a wing-back role. Having played second fiddle to Glenn Hoddle's Spurs, they came desperately close to avenging their three White Hart Lane defeats earlier in the season.

"We needed to do something," the manager explained, satisfied that his change of personnel and tactics had rescued a draw and convinced that, with an ounce more good fortune, it might have secured a win.

"We had to get two up on the front line (Bobic had been the spearhead with Wallace and Youri Djorkaeff in support) right up against their two central defenders. And I changed the shape too, going to three centre-backs and two wing backs.

"That was the turning point for us. Deano got the goal and we went from strength to strength. We were very unfortunate not to get the second."

Two "offside" decisions - the flag stayed down when Stefen Iversen raced through to put Spurs ahead then went up when Ricketts thought he had netted the winner - put the spotlight on the match officials. But it was their general handling of the game rather than the specific incidents that irritated Allardyce.

"I'm not so sure if their goal was offside so that makes it very poor defending from the defenders' point of view because we really had no reason to take any chances in the offside area," he reasoned. "It was just a hopeful ball forward.

"Ours really deserved to be a goal. It was a good ball from Youri Djorkaeff and an exquisite finish by Michael - an acute angle on the turn and volleyed into the far corner. Whether he was offside or not, I don't know. If he wasn't I'll be extremely disappointed with the officials; if he was offside then it's a good decision.

"But I wasn't too pleased about the officials in the rest of the game. We couldn't rely on them to get the offsides right because they were giving some and not giving others and the referee made some amazing decisions, which we seem to have to accept week in and week out these days."

Despite reaching the 40 point mark, the manager says the pressure is still on ahead of the last three games.

He added: "When we set out on Saturday and saw the fixtures, we'd have thought it unlikely that Blackburn and Fulham would have won away from home but both of them did to keep the pressure on us.

"I don't feel safe at all. We've got three very difficult games. Fulham have relieved the pressure on themselves, few would back us against Arsenal who are going full pelt for the title and West Ham away is a game we don't want to be going into needing anything because they have done so well at home this year. It's a difficult run-in for us. We'll be hoping others slip up but we've got to pick up points ourselves."