By Mike McGrath, PA Sport

Mark Hughes' men needed a win to stay in the hunt for a top-seven finish in the Premiership but their European hopes now rest with a possible Intertoto Cup campaign.

They were on course for victory when Benni McCarthy opened the scoring to edge him ahead in the battle of the Premiership newcomers with Dimitar Berbatov.

But Berbatov then played his part in Defoe's equaliser, meaning Spurs now need a point against Manchester City on Sunday to play in the UEFA Cup again next season.

Rovers finished with 10 men - striker Jason Roberts dismissed after receiving two yellow cards in rapid succession, the first for a tussle with Didier Zokora and a second - apparently harshly - for protesting about the decision to referee Rob Styles.

The match was the 1,000th Premiership match televised on Sky - but there was little in the way of early entertainment before McCarthy struck.

With Jermaine Jenas absent with a slight back problem, Tugay and Aaron Mokoena were able to stamp their authority in midfield, protecting their defence as Spurs looked to strike early as they did earlier in the week against Charlton.

However, aside from Defoe - making his first start in a month - having a sight of goal, Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba were initially untroubled.

There was not much at the other end either, and the highlight of the early stages was Morten Gamst Pedersen's clashes on the left flank against Pascal Chimbonda.

The battle of the sharp hairstyles - the Spurs full-back was sporting new ponytails - resulted in the Rovers winger needing treatment for a head injury after one tangle.

Things livened up when Mokoena picked up a yellow card for a foul on Steed Malbranque, with the French midfielder eventually having to hobble off injured just before Rovers broke the deadlock.

The opening goal, in the 32nd minute, came from hesitation in the Spurs defence leading to Pedersen finding the ball on the left.

His telling cross was met by South Africa striker McCarthy, who had peeled away from Ledley King at the far post to head home his 23rd of the campaign and his 17th in the Premiership.

Roberts looked to double the lead a minute later but his long-range effort was deflected and Paul Robinson saved.

Spurs seemed rocked by the opener and Robinson was then forced to scramble clear when Michael Dawson sold him short with a backpass.

David Bentley was also given an opportunity when Chimbonda ran into trouble on the edge of his own area, but the former Arsenal midfielder chipped over - much to the frustration of the unmarked McCarthy.

Aaron Lennon and Hossam Ghaly came closer towards the break but Brad Friedel did not have to work too hard.

In fact, the loudest cheer from the home support up to that point came when Nayim, the former Spurs midfielder who famously lobbed in from the halfway line for Real Zaragoza in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final against Arsenal, was paraded at the interval.

There was little for Spurs fans to sing about immediately after the break either, although they appealed when Samba appeared to use his arm while clearing a corner.

After Pedersen had picked up a yellow card for fouling Defoe, Berbatov forced Friedel into a save with the free-kick which home fans optimistically yet wrongly claimed crossed the line as the American claimed at the second attempt.

Martin Jol brought on Robbie Keane in the 59th minute to replace substitute Ghaly, who threw his shirt to the floor in front of his manager. "Your not fit to wear the shirt," was the Spurs fans' assessment.

Despite having three strikers with 60 goals between them, Spurs were inches from going 2-0 down when Samba's header from Pedersen's free-kick glanced off the bar to safety.

And it proved a telling moment as Spurs levelled with 23 minutes left - with all three strikers having a hand in the goal.

Keane fed Berbatov, who spun on the edge of the area and fired a shot away, Friedel could only parry and Defoe tapped in.

Rovers boss Mark Hughes introduced strikers Matt Derbyshire and Paul Gallagher for Mokoena and Tugay respectively in the closing stages as he sought the crucial breakthrough.

But it was the hosts who went closest to a winner, with Dawson seeing two efforts go wide, before Robbie Keane hit the post in the first of four minutes of stoppage-time, with Roberts' dismissal the last action of the game.