The Premier League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham at White Hart Lane on Tuesday Jan 26 2010.
DAVID Bentley experienced a rare night of success to help Tottenham Hotspur remain in fourth place in the Premier League. The winger, predicted to leave White Hart Lane this transfer window, was given an unexpected start and responded by helping to make the first goal, for Peter Crouch, before claiming the second.
It was Tottenham’s first League win of 2010 while handing Roy Hodgson a defeat in what was the Fulham manager’s 100th game in charge. It also served as a reminder to the latest multi-million pound player that life at the top is not always perfect.
Fulham included Chris Smalling on the day he agreed a £7 million summer move to Old Trafford, but the one-time Maidstone defender, jettisoned into fame overnight, could do little to prevent Tom Huddlestone from threatening to score within the opening minute, the midfielder’s shot re-directed around the post by Mark Schwarzer.
Indeed, Spurs bombarded Fulham in the opening stages, winning three corners in the first five minutes as they looked to take advantage of the visitors’ poor run of recent form.
The game, though, was heading nowhere until Tottenham scored, in the 27th minute. Bentley crossed from the right, Schwarzer miss-punched and Luka Modric’s wonderful tenacity produced dividends with the winger somehow keeping the ball in, clipping it over Bjorn Helge Riise before cleverly prodding it back for Crouch, who had little trouble in claiming his 10th goal of the season.
On the day Spurs’ hopes of gaining planning permission for a new stadium received a set-back, it was a welcome piece of good news. Earlier the Government's architectural watchdog had refused to fully support the club's Northumberland Development Project, criticising aspects of the design proposals.
But Spurs, without a goal in their previous two League outings, were able to enjoy the moment and, before the break they threatened again when the outstanding Modric collected a clever pass from Huddlestone, tormented Aaron Hughes but saw his dipping half volley drop just over the cross-bar.
As the live Sky game, this was doing little to encourage viewers, many who would have been tempted to consider why Manchester United regard Smalling so highly. Generally the youngster coped well but a wayward cross field pass midway through the second half that ran out for a Spurs throw-in suggested he has much to do before he threatens the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
But it was team-mate Riise who helped Spurs add a second on the hour. Bentley’s free-kick caught the head of the Norwegian and rebounded into the far corner.
Fulham’s decline has been dramatic; they have now lost four League games in a row and gone five without a win since they claimed the most surprising result of the season, when they won 3-0 against United before Christmas.
They rarely threatened but at least Hodgson was able to get most of the game out of Bobby Zamora, just three weeks after the former Spurs striker broke his collar bone.
Match stats:
Tottenham (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, King, Bale; Bentley, Palacios, Huddlestone, Modric; Defoe (Keane 82), Crouch.
Subs: Alnwick (g), Hutton, Jenas, Bassong, O’Hara, Rose.
Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Hughes, Smalling, Hangeland, Baird; Riise, Murphy, Dikgacoi, Duff; Gera (Kamara 71), Zamora (Elm 79).
Subs: Zuberbuhler (g), Nevland, Greening, Davies, Kallio.
Booked: Kamara.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
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