Recent Silverware

Recent Silverware
Carling Cup 2008

Sunday, December 28, 2008

League Report: Spurs 0 Fulham 0

Courtesy of Official Site-

Fulham held us to a 0-0 draw in the Boxing Day fixture at White Hart Lane, although we had the better of the game overall.

The point was a frustrating outcome on the day, as we failed to gain revenge against the side who inflicted our first defeat under Harry Redknapp's charge last month.

The manager made just one change to the side that were defeated by a late goal at Newcastle last Sunday.

Darren Bent returned from illness to replace Roman Pavlyuchenko up front but, and not for the first time in recent games, we were forced into an early reshuffle.

Tom Huddlestone limped off after just 20 minutes, making way for Jermaine Jenas to come into the midfield on his return from a calf injury.

The alteration certainly did not affect our dominance of the first half as we applied most of the early pressure.

David Bentley tested Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer with a 14th minute long-range shot that bounced awkwardly in front of the Australian.

Luka Modric went looking for his third goal in as many games with an effort from a similarly distance which curled just past the post.

On the half hour mark, Benoit Assou-Ekotto surged into the box from left-back and squared for Aaron Lennon on the edge of the area, whose first-time shot was well saved down low by Schwarzer.

The resulting corner was hit deep by Bentley, but Vedran Corluka retrieved and pulled back for Lennon, whose cross was headed agonisingly wide by Ledley King.

Heurelho Gomes wasn't tested until the 36th minute, when Bobby Zamora crossed from the right and Clint Dempsey controlled on his chest in the box before forcing the Brazilian into a stunning save with a spectacular overhead kick.

It proved to be the cue for slightly more caution from the home side in the minutes leading up to the break, and there was time for another scare.

Two ex-Spurs boys combined on 41 minutes as Simon Davies crossed from the right but Zamora just failed to make the telling connection at the back post.

As the game entered its second half, Fulham were becoming a much tougher nut to crack, and we introduced a second striker in the form of Fraizer Campbell on 59 minutes in hope of breaking them down.

However, chances were still few and far between, although we again had the better of the game overall in the half.

Assou-Ekotto's left wing cross on 65 minutes was glanced wide by Modric, before Pavlyuchenko had a shot deflected past the post with his first touch after coming on as a 72nd minute substitute for Bent.

At the other end, Gomes had had little to do after the break until five minutes from time, when some fantastic goalkeeping stopped us coming away with nothing.

Davies hit a defence splitting pass which Andy Johnson ran onto round the back of King, but our in-form stopper was brave as he came out to save down at the feet of the England striker.

After this, we continued to push for the winner, but by then Fulham were defending in number and held out for the point.

Spurs (4-4-1-1): Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Zokora, Huddlestone (Jenas, 20), Bentley (Campbell, 59); Modric; Bent (Pavlyuchenko, 72)
Subs not used: Cesar, Bale, O'Hara, Woodgate

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hughes, Baird, Konchesky; Dempsey, Murphy, Bullard (Etuhu, 37), Davies (Nevland, 90); Zamora, Johnson
Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Gray, Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio


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