Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1: Hail hot spur Heurelho Gomes' super show in north London derby triumph

15 April 2010 01:30
As Danny Rose' swonder goal wasreplayed a dozentimes on White HartLane's big screenduring half-time, it seemedTottenham were settingthemselves up for a fall andmore humiliation at thehands of their neighbours. [LNB]The cheers from Spurs fans grewlouder as they watched Rose'svolley fly repeatedly over ManuelAlmunia and the pitchsideannouncer fought a losing battlewith his emotions. [LNB]An impromptu 'Goal of the Year'competition was declared by theman on the mic, who beckonedDavid Ginola to join him and intoxicatethe home crowd further with hislong silver hair and Gallic charm.[LNB] Dynamite: Danny Rose fires Tottenham ahead with a brilliantvolley[LNB]Typical Spurs would havefollowed such self-congratulationwith a second-half collapse butHarry Redknapp's team came outand finished the job. [LNB]Gareth Bale scored the secondwithin a minute of the restart and,when Arsenal launched a late comeback,inspired by Robin vanPersie's introduction from thebench, Heurelho Gomes producedan incredible string of acrobaticsaves to keep them at bay. [LNB]The Brazilian goalkeeper waseventually beaten by Nicklas Bendtnerwith six minutes left but heclawed two Van Persie shots out ofthe top corner and tipped a headerfrom Sol Campbell on to the barfrom point-blank range. [LNB] Full stretch: Heurelho Gomes produces a fine save to deny Robin van Persie[LNB]Gomes was mobbed by his teammatesat the end. Together theyhad kept Tottenham in the hunt fora top four finish and their firstChampions League campaign.[LNB]In doing so, they beat Arsenal inthe league for the first time in themore than a decade and shatteredtheir rival's dwindling hopes of winningthe title. It was also a greatnight for Chelsea but, on Saturday,Carlo Ancelotti's team have to visitWhite Hart Lane and they will bewary of a team wounded by theirdefeat by Portsmouth in the FACup semi-final. [LNB]An electric atmosphere guaranteeda frantic early tempo andhelped Spurs shake off theirWembley woes. Arsenal fansbellowed out the Pompey Chimesand the home crowd united to booCampbell. [LNB]Pure delight: Danny Rose celebrates after his superb strike[LNB]The jeers were predictable butCampbell almost bundled his teaminto the lead in the first minute,turning Samir Nasri's cornertowards goal with his knee. Gomeswas beaten but Benoit Assou-Ekotto blocked on the line. [LNB]It was in midfield, without theenergy and aggression of thesuspended Wilson Palacios, wherethe Spurs team looked as if they might be vulnerable but Tom Huddlestoneand Luka Modric dominated,despite being outnumbered. [LNB]Bale, pushed forward to left wing,continued his outstanding form,terrorising Bacary Sagna as hecharged up and down the flank. [LNB]Redknapp had sprung a surpriseby handing a League debut to19-year-old Rose and seldom can ashock selection have been quite soinspired. Nine minutes had elapsedwhen Almunia came off his line topunch a corner high into the air. [LNB]Double your money: Gareth Bale scores Tottenham's second goal [LNB]When the ball dropped, some 30yards from goal, on an angle out tothe lef t , Rose decided t ovolley it with his left foot. [LNB]He couldnot have caught it more sweetlyand it soared over the crowdedgoalmouth and into the net.It was the most delightful strikeand Rose was uncatchable as hesprinted away in ecstatic celebration. [LNB]The teenager did not reappearafter the interval, Redknapp saidhe had 'tweaked a knee ligament'and replaced him with David Bentley,but he had done his job withthis flash of brilliance. [LNB]If Wenger's spirits were notdamaged by the sight of Rose'sspectacular finish, they must havebeen crushed by the sight ofThomas Vermaelen limping off inthe first half with a calf strain.[LNB]Party time: Gareth Bale can't hide his delight after putting Spurs 2-0 up[LNB]Vermaelen has been superb thisseason and the Belgian illustratedhis class with an early block tothwart Roman Pavlyuchenko butpulled up with no-one near him inthe first half and was replaced byMikael Silvestre, 32, who forged a67-year-old central defensive partnershipwith Campbell, 35. [LNB]The veterans were split byJermain Defoe's pass early in thesecond half and Bale ran on to it toscore past the diving Almunia.But Arsenal were not about tosurrender without a fight. Wengerretaliated by throwing on TheoWalcott and, a little later, Van Persie. [LNB]Too little too late: Nicklas Bendtner scores for Arsenal at White Hart Lane[LNB]MATCH FACTSTOTTENHAM (4-4-2): Gomes 8;Kaboul 6, Dawson 7, King 8,Assou-Ekotto 7; Rose 8 (Bentley 46min,6), Huddlestone 7, Modric 7, Bale 8;Pavlyuchenko 7 (Crouch 89), Defoe 6(Gudjohnsen, 68, 6).Booked: Modric, Kaboul.[LNB] ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Almunia 6; Sagna 6(Walcott 52, 6), Campbell 6, Vermaelen 5(Silvestre 18, 5), Clichy 7; Denilson 6(Van Persie 68, 5), Diaby 7; Eboue 5,Nasri 5, Rosicky 6; Bendtner 6.Booked: Denilson.Man of the match: Gareth Bale.Referee: Mark Clattenburg.[LNB]The Dutch striker, fit to play forthe first time since injuring ankleligaments in November, looked insublime form, taking a high balldown on his chest with his back togoal, rolling his marker and firing aleft-foot volley towards the top corner.[LNB]It looked a certain goal butGomes sprang to his right to save,just as he did when Van Persie fireda free-kick towards the top cornermoments later.[LNB]Gomes then produced an amazingreflex save, throwing up a strongright hand to deflect Campbell'spowerful header on to the woodworkbefore Bendtner eventuallyfound the net, tapping in Walcott'scross. [LNB]Tottenham lived on their nervesfor the final few minutes but madeit over the line. For once Spurs didnot falter and they are still in thehunt for the top four.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Premier League live: All Wednesday's action as it happenedBarcelona promise to drop Cesc Fabregas bid, insists Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-WoodARSENAL FC

Source: Daily_Mail