Richmond Spurs: Match Report: Boxing Day 07, Spurs 5 Fulham 1

Courtesy of Official Site:

The team marked Boxing Day 2007 with a 5-1 victory over Fulham at the
Lane.
Two goals each from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone, plus one for
Jermain Defoe provided the margin in what was a comfortable win despite
Fulham halving the deficit at one point. The game got underway on a crisp early
afternoon and the early exchanges were not as crisp as the weather. It was
warming, however, to see Ledley King striding across the pitch looking like he
had never been away, just his presence having a calming influence on those
around him. Jamie O'Hara retained his place in the side for his full home debut,
Huddlestone partnering him in the heart of midfield and it was Tom pulling the
midfield strings and providing what creative spark there was in the first third
of the half. Dimitar Berbatov gave Antti Niemi his first work of the afternoon
on 24 minutes when he nodded a Steed Malbranque centre goalwards and the Finn
sprung to his right and saved well. Two minutes later Malbranque came so close
to marking the occasion of playing against his old club with a goal, latching
onto a Pascal Chimbonda knock-down with a rasping drive that crashed off the
inside of the post. Thankfully, Keane was there right on cue to steer home the
rebound. While the boys were not exactly clicking through the gears on a slick
performance level, they were coping with challenge presented by Fulham with
ease. Defensively it was comfortable as the visitors were not bristling with
ambition in the first half and the goal did not change things much. Another goal
should probably have been added before the break but a swift break resulting
from Berbatov dispossessing Danny Murphy was perhaps overplayed a little and
Keane was left with too much to do in the end. It was two in stoppage, a dash
down the left by Malbranque leading to Berbatov teeing up Huddlestone for a
drive. The midfielder's effort completely wrong-footed Niemi in what was a class
piece of finishing. The football remained attack-minded in the second half,
Keane flashing in a shot that Niemi did well to grab and hold. There was a twist
on the hour when Clint Dempsey snatched on back for Fulham from a Hameur Bouazza
cross, but the response was swift - just two minutes later. Berbatov thrust his
head onto an O'Hara corner and nodded towards the post where the knees of Keane
were waiting to divert past Niemi. The chances of a Keane hat-trick were ended
with 22 minutes left when he was withdrawn in favour of Jermain Defoe but, for
Huddlestone, there was still time to make another big impression. Given the ball
by Aaron Lennon around 20 yards out on 70 minutes, the midfielder flicked the
ball up before driving a placed shot that escaped the clutches of Niemi and had
those at the Lane purring in admiration. The was another huge ovation three
minutes later when Juande Ramos decided the time was right for the skipper to
make his exit. The sum up Ledley's performance best you would just say he was
his usual self. Adel Taarabt replaced him and, in a defensive shuffle, Chimbonda
moved centrally, Lee Young-Pyo to the right and Jamie O'Hara slotted in at left
back. Taarabt added a few party tricks to go with the festive mood, while the
substitute Moritz Volz saw a second yellow then red for a barge on
Malbraque. There was still time for Defoe to add to his account -seizing on
a surge from Huddlestone in the final minute to prod past Niemi.This was a case
of job done, three points in the bank and a Merry Christmas.