Since losing 3-2 in the Riazor to Real Zaragoza in the last match before the winter break, Depor have registered one win and four draws.

Tristan's spot-kick cancelled out a Pablo Orbaiz thunderbolt which had given Athletic Bilbao hope of inflicting a fourth home defeat of a disappointing season for Depor.

It was an open, entertaining, end-to-end match that neither team deserved to lose, with Depor shading the first half and the visitors edging the second.

Depor's Lionel Scaloni had the game's first goalscoring opportunity following a brilliant zig-zagging run but a bad bounce scuppered his shot.

Francisco Yeste looked the man most likely early on for Bilbao and his delivery into the box was wasted by Joseba Exteberria.

Depor gradually got themselves into the game with Juan Carlos Valeron shining in the playmaking role.

But despite their possession, Depor had to be alert to the attacks from their dangerous visitors.

In the 19th minute, Enrique Romero's vital clearing header spared Manuel Pablo's blushes after the full-back was beaten all ends up by the pace of Fernando Llorente.

Jorge Andrade then cut out Exteberria's pass to Llorente with an inch-perfect interception.

Tristan then fired millimetres wide after good work from Lionel Scaloni and then Albert Luque.

Tristan, receiving a pass from new signing Fabricio Coloccini, saw his goalbound shot deflected wide at the last moment.

On the half-hour, Exteberria squandered a golden opportunity after being sent clear by Yeste while at the other end Luque's free-kick brought the best out of Daniel Aranzubia in the Bilbao goal.

Five minutes after half-time and the visitors were ahead when centre-midfielder Orbaiz found himself 30 yards out and let fly into the top right-hand corner of Gustavo Munua's goal.

Luque then almost conjured up a quite magnificent equaliser with a moment of magic.

Receiving the ball on the edge of the area with a defender at his back, he ingeniously flicked the ball up to set up a brilliantly-executed bicycle kick that was palmed behind by Aranzubia.

Bilbao thought they had doubled their lead in the 71st minute when Yeste and Exteberria linked up for the latter to drive home, only to see the assistant referee flagging for offside.

Andrade then headed against the bar for Depor and Yeste, following Ismael Urzaiz's chest down, forced Munua into a vital save.

But with only seven minutes left, Victor Sanchez was tugged back by Javier Casas in the area and from the resultant penalty Tristan made no mistake.

Both sides pushed for a winner but the draw was a fair result, although it does little for either side's mid-table league positions.