Spurs 3-1 Fulham FA Cup Q Final Replay
With Spurs injury list fast resembling the credits for an episode of Casualty and the rain starting to trickle down the golden cockerel adorning the roof over White Hart Lane, this could well have been a night of slip-ups for the lillywhites. Indeed in years gone by, trailing 0-1 at half time and being outplayed by the visitors, you would have been hard pushed to see a way back into the game for Redknapps men......but not now!
Spurs replaced a few players from the weekend win at the Britannia with Palacios and Gudjohnson starting and Pavlyuchenko sitting it out on the bench due to the knock picked up on Saturday. With half an hour gone, it looked as though 11 changes had been made and they had never met each other as Fulham strutted around White Hart Lane like Mohammed Ali facing a rookie, Spurs were well and truly on the ropes. When Bobby Zamora struck low after a neat move to notch up Fulhams goal, only the crazy could argue that it was no more than they deserved. Indeed the boos rung around a strangely quiet stadium as the players trudged off for a session with the bull and china shop and the word around the terrace burger bars and pub tables was that changes were needed if we were to steer ourselves back onto Wembley Way.
The 2nd half started with a reinvigorated Spurs and the introduction of Thudd and Bentley appeared to be paying off. With his first touch of the ball Bentley swung in a free kick which as well as being impossible to defend, avoided everyone and nestled into the net at the near post to bring Spurs level. The crowd were breathing a huge sigh of relief and now had hope. Bentleys superb crosses were also immediately noticeable after the dismal efforts of the first half and this eventually paid dividends. One of which found Roman Pavlyuchnko, on for the injured Corluka, at the far post to volley home and give the home team some breathing space. The clouds were beginning to disperse to give us an even clearer view across London towards that arch. Some silky Spurs-style passing led to our third killer goal with Eidur Gudjohnson darting into the box to poke the ball past a outstretched goalkeeper.
The Wembley songs were belted out at full pelt as the final whistle blew and the soaked hoards headed towards Seven Sisters with a smile on their faces after our much improved second half performance. Then some news came through which extended those smiles even wider, the poor results for Man City and Villa. In the City, they would call this a very good day at the office! Pompey will be a tough game in the semis, but we go there on April 11th full of confidence and with a squad with real depth!
After an initial soaking, that cockerel's crowing once again, over the Wembley semi-finalists home turf!
Player Ratings
Gomes 7
Corluka 7
Dawson 7
Bassong 7
Assou-Ekotto 7
Bale 8
Palacios 7
Modric 7
Kranjcar 7
Crouch 7
Gudjohnson 8
Bentley 8
Pavlyuchenko 7
Huddlestone 8
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