Andy Todd found himself at the centre of a headbutting storm as Blackburn's season threatened to slip deeper into the disciplinary mire during this scoreless draw at Ewood Park tonight.
The Rovers defender clashed with Tottenham's Andy Reid after 75 minutes in an off-the-ball incident which was missed by referee Dermot Gallagher and his assistants.
Replays appeared to show Todd aiming a butt at Reid, who was left sprawled on the ground - provoking a storm of protest from his team-mates who surrounded Gallagher.
To make matters worse for Rovers - fined £10,000 with £50,000 suspended for last season's disciplinary problems last week - they had Lucas Neill red-carded moments later for a two-footed lunge on Edgar Davids.
Before the late drama Rovers ought to have made Tottenham boss Martin Jol pay for his bizarre gamble on resting three star men with one eye on the weekend's big Barclays Premiership clash with Chelsea.
Davids, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick all started from the bench for Spurs - who knew another three points would be enough to lift them back to the top of the fledgling table.
Instead Rovers threatened to punish their opponents with the better chances throughout against a visiting side who looked shapeless and unthreatening, with Robbie Keane ploughing a lonely furrow up front.
In contrast, Rovers' rugged sole striker Shefki Kuqi was full of running as the home side immediately sought to impose themselves on the proceedings.
Brett Emerton had a shot blocked in the box by Anthony Gardner and the in-form Morten Gamst Pedersen almost took advantage of a mistake by Paul Stalteri in the eighth minute, dispossessing the defender on the goal line only for his cross to skate across the face of goal.
Spurs got forward well in patches, with Reid judged to have taken the ball out of play before crossing for Keane, whose shot was blocked anyway by Brad Friedel in the 10th minute.
Pedersen came close to converting another classy effort in the 14th minute, firing a left-footed free-kick just wide of Paul Robinson's left-hand post after Brown's foul on Steven Reid 25 yards out.
The visitors were clearly lacking Defoe's dynamism up front as Rovers continued to hold the upper-hand, coming close again when Pedersen stretched at the far post and just failed to meet a neat right-wing cross by Emerton.
Then Pedersen played back Todd's neat through-ball into the path of Reid who whacked a powerful effort just wide of target.
Michael Dawson received the first caution of the night for tripping a demonstrative Savage running towards goal, before the Welshman got up to fire his free-kick into the wall.
Spurs mustered their first shot moments later when Reid lofted a straightforward effort into Friedel's arms.
But Rovers continued to have the better chances and Kuqi should have done better after getting in behind Gardner on the half-hour to reach Pedersen's ball from the left.
The Finnish international slid in and sent his shot beyond the advancing Robinson and well wide of the keeper's right-hand post.
Rovers came even closer in the 39th minute when Tugay's free-kick from wide on the left was missed by both Ryan Nelsen and Andy Todd in front of goal with Robinson beaten.
The visitors were looking far from a team intent on regaining their place at the top of the league as they strained under the home side's attack and created precious little themselves.
After a dismal first eight minutes of the second half, Jol finally elected to inject some more ambition into his side, replacing Mido with Davids.
Rovers could hardly be faulted for their efforts, continuing to get forward well through Pedersen and forcing a succession of dangerous set-pieces.
Kuqi missed another fine chance in the 55th minute when he chested down across from Reid before poking his shot from 10 yards straight into Robinson's midriff.
Furious Kuqi was denied a free-kick on the edge of the box in the 70th minute after apparently being hauled over by Dawson, then moments later Erik Edman also escaped for his challenge on Emerton in the box.
Then came Todd's fiery moment which appears certain to earn him belated FA censure if he is found to have connected with Reid - and Neill's challenge which brought Rovers their second red card of the season.
