Source: Telegraph
Tottenham Hotspur 3 Blackburn Rovers 1: match report
Roman Pavlyuchenko maintained his impressive goalscoring record, and moved Tottenham Hotspur a step closer to securing a place in next season's Champions League, with two goals in an easy victory. [LNB]Harry Redknapp claimed on Friday that Spurs needed 19 points - six wins and a draw - to finish in the coveted fourth place and they edged closer to that target with an ultimately easy lunchtime win. [LNB] Related ArticlesPremier League tableTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesSport on televisionJermain Defoe gave Spurs the lead before Pavlyuchenko scored goals either side of a response from Christopher Samba, taking his recent tally to seven goals in six games. [LNB]Spurs dominated the first half, benefiting from the injury to their former goalkeeper, Paul Robinson. [LNB]But it took until the first minute of added time before Spurs could take advantage, with Defoe claiming his 23rd goal of the season. [LNB]Earlier, Pavlyuchenko had squandered three good chances, though Blackburn Rovers also had a legitimate appeal for a penalty rejected before Robinson limped off gingerly in the 38th minute. [LNB]Before then, Pavlyuchenko was offered a chance from Benoit Assou-Ekotto, who crossed from the left, but the Russian jabbed the ball into the turf and it bounced over Robinson's goal. [LNB]In the 20th minute, Vedran Corluka appeared to bundle the returning David Dunn off the ball, but referee Howard Web turned down penalty claims. [LNB]Spurs responded when Bale, outstanding on the left, set-up Pavlyuchenko but the Russian sent the attempt wide. [LNB]Bale, himself, was then unlucky after he outstripped Michel Salgado only to role the ball wide. [LNB]Robinson had been troubled for a while, after kicking a clearance, and was forced off in the 25th minute, hopping on his right leg. [LNB]Jason Brown, his replacement, made two saves in quick succession, from his own defender, Gael Givet, and Defoe. [LNB]But in added time, Niko Kranjcar's corner was headed on by Corluka and Defoe bundled the ball beyond Brown. [LNB]And, in the 10th minute of the second half, Spurs increased their lead. Luka Modric's ball found Defoe, who fed Pavlyuchenko and Brown allowed the striker's shot to slip under his body. [LNB]Blackburn replaced Brett Emerton with Keith Andrews but still Spurs pressed, with Modric close to a third. [LNB]In the 68th minute, Spurs thought they had won a penalty when Bale fell under a challenge from Salgado. But Webb, England's World Cup referee, failed to award the kick or book Bale. [LNB]Webb angered Spurs again soon afterwards when Morten Gamst Pedersen forced Bale down, but again Blackburn survived. [LNB]And Blackburn sent the alarm bells ringing when, in the 80th minute, they replied when, from Pedersen's corner, Samba rose high above Michael Dawson to head beyond Heurelho Gomes. [LNB]Spurs, however, confirmed the win in the 88th minute when Pavlyuchenko, having miss-hit the original chance, was allowed a second attempt, from Bale's high cross. [LNB]Blackburn had the ball in the net in the final minute but Nikola Kalinic was harshly adjudged to have pushed Dawson before scoring.[LNB]
