Tottenham 2 Albion 2

Simon Cox's fantastic first Premier League goal with nine minutes left sent Albion to the 40-point mark.

The Baggies substitute looped a brilliant shot over Tottenham goalkeeper Huerelho Gomes to rescue a battling point for his side.

Spurs had led through Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe, after Peter Odemwingie's 13th goal of the season had put Roy Hodgson's men ahead on five minutes

Albion made a dream start and had already gone close before taking the lead, Jerome Thomas striding forward and sending a shot just wide.

But they took the lead with just five minutes on the clock when Carlos Vela, who was handed his second Baggies start in place of James Morrison, burst down the left.

Vela found Odemwingie with a crossfield pass and the striker shrugged off Benoit Assou-Ekotto, before bending a shot around Michael Dawson and into the bottom corner past Gomes.

The Baggies kept the home side at arm's length until the 17th minute, when Youssouf Mulumbu fouled Roman Pavlyuchenko and William Gallas headed just over from Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick.

And the hosts had another chance moments later thanks to PFA player of the year Gareth Bale, who had switched to left-back following an injury to Assou-Ekotto.

Bale burst forwards on the overlap and crossed for Pavlyuchenko but the striker failed to make a clean contact with his header six yards out.

The pressure was mounting and Tottenham were level on 27 minutes.

Chris Brunt attempted to dispossess Tom Huddlestone in midfield and the ball broke kindly for Pavlyuchenko, who curled a shot past goalkeeper Scott Carson and in off the post.

There was another great chance for the hosts when a cross-shot from van der Vaart was parried well by Carson but the rebound dropped for Pavlyuchenko, who fired over from just inside the box.

Albion were grateful for the half-time interval and they could have been ahead six minutes after the restart when they broke well and Nicky Shorey's cross found Odemwingie.

His header was arrowing in but Gomes pulled off a fantastic save.

But, on 67 minutes, they fell behind as the pressure told with Defoe claiming his 100th Tottenham goal.

The Baggies backed off, inviting him to shoot, and the striker made no mistake, finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

There were half-hearted penalty appeals from the visitors moments later as Vela found space on the left and picked out substitute James Morrison, whose shot appeared to strike the arm of Michael Dawson in the box.

With 10 minutes remaining the Baggies went close when Brunt send a long-range effort just wide.

But Cox struck just a minute later, receiving a pass from Shorey, side-stepping William Gallas and looping a fabulous shot over Gomes and into the top corner.

Then, in stoppage time, Odemwingie went close with a long-range shot that hit the side netting.