- Higginbotham (19 pen), Delap (53)
- Bent (25)
- Date:2008-10-19
- Kick-off:16:00
- Venue:Britannia Stadium
- Attendance:27500
- Referee:Mason, L
Live Commentary
90mins
It's finally finished after an unbelievable game which Stoke win 2-1 thanks to Delap and Higginbotham's goals. Spurs had equalised through Bent but had Bale and then Dawson sent off late on.
90mins
Dawson is sent off for a lunge on Sidibe, he's furious but it looked a poor challenge
90mins
Eight minutes of the 11 are up following that amazing penalty miss that bounced off one post and then onto the other
90mins
Woodgate fouls Soares for Stoke's second penalty of the game but Fuller's spot-kick hits both posts before Delap's follow up clips the top of the bar
90mins
Dawson deflects a cross behind for a Stoke corner as four minutes of stoppage time are completed
90mins
Lennon is penalised for a foul - two minutes of the 11 played
90mins
Woodgate is booked for a high challenge as we approach stoppage time - of which there will be 11 minutes!
89mins
Soares creates some space well before firing just over the bar
88mins
Another Jenas' free-kick is again off target
87mins
Dawson hacks the ball clear as Stoke look for a decisive third goal
86mins
Fuller twists and turns in the box before eventually losing the ball
85mins
It will be interesting to see how many minutes the referee adds on after several lengthy delays in the second half - it could even be 10 minutes
83mins
Ryan Shawcross is on as Sonko can't continue
82mins
Soares' corner is cleared as Sonko goes down with a knock now
80mins
Jenas wastes a free-kick for Spurs
78mins
Michael Dawson comes on in Corluka's place
76mins
Corluka has been given oxygen and looks like he could be taken straight to hospital after being stretchered off. There's going to be at least eight minutes of injury time added
73mins
The game has been delayed for three minutes now as Corluka receives treatment, it looks like it could be a serious injury
70mins
Soares' free-kick is palmed clear by Gomes as Corluka again goes down injured and this time he won't be able to continue
68mins
Corluka is down after being caught by his own keeper Gomes and needs treatment
66mins
Sorensen has a cut under his eye and has been forced off, Steve Simonsen is the sub keeper who is on in his place
64mins
Hutton chases Bent's ball but Sorensen comes out well to claim it. However, the Stoke keeper is caught by Hutton and then his own player Sonko and will need treatment
62mins
Sidibe is forced off temporarily after picking up a knock but he's back on now
60mins
Sonko makes a mistake and Modric strikes a rising shot just over the bar
59mins
Roman Pavlyuchenko comes on for Bentley for the visitors
59mins
Sidibe's header from the corner is off target
58mins
Stoke had begun the second half well and their second goal was just reward as Gomes misses another Delap long throw and Stoke win a corner
56mins
Kitson is replaced by Ricardo Fuller for Stoke
53mins
Stoke are back in front after Delap turns home Sidibe's brilliant right-wing cross from close range
53mins
Stoke have began the second half better than they ended the first and have pushed Spurs onto the back foot
51mins
Delap's long-throw causes havoc again but Gomes manages to punch it behind for a corner that Stoke waste
48mins
Bentley catches Higginbotham late after the Stoke defender does well to clear
47mins
Woodgate manages to get his head to a Stoke cross
45mins
Spurs get the second 45 underway after an action-packed first half
45mins
It's level at the break after Bent's strike cancelled out Higginbotham's earlier penalty. Spurs have been impressive since losing Bale, who was sent off for a foul on Soares for the penalty.
45mins
Gomes has taken a knock at the end of the half and looks in some pain
43mins
Andy Griffin is caught late by Lennon but he escapes a booking
40mins
Lennon runs at the Potters defence again before forcing Sorensen into a low save. It's still the visitors who are dominating
38mins
Hutton wins a corner for Spurs as the ball painfully canons off Higginbotham
36mins
Modric gets past his man before dragging a shot wide
35mins
David Bentley's shot flies over the bar, never troubling Sorensen
33mins
Dave Kitson can't keep the ball in down the left as Spurs continue to have more possession despite being a man down
30mins
The equaliser has visibly lifted Tottenham and they look the better side now
28mins
Aaron Lennon does brilliantly down the left to get past two men before the ball ends up with Modric, but the Croat's shot is awful and screws wide
26mins
Spurs have hit back almost immediately just as it looked like it was going to be another miserable day for Juande Ramos
25mins
Spurs are level as Bent slots home after Hutton's shot deflects off a Stoke defender. The Spurs striker appeared to be offside when the initial ball was played though
21mins
Spurs have it all to do again now down to 10 men but full credit to Higginbotham for scoring the pen as the ball had to be replaced several times on the spot as it kept getting blown away by the wind
19mins
Danny Higginbotham keeps his cool and slots the penalty home well to put Stoke one up
18mins
Bale is sent off for the challenge as well - it's a nightmare start for Spurs
18mins
Soares is caught by Gareth Bale and that's a penalty
17mins
Bent's header is straight at Sorensen and easily claimed by the Stoke keeper
16mins
Hutton completely overhits a cross from the right to end a promising break from the visitors
13mins
Abdoulaye Faye manages to shield the ball well under pressure from Bent and it runs out of play for a Stoke goal-kick
10mins
Bent's shot is well blocked by Ibrahima Sonko at the other end
8mins
A signature Rory Delap long-throw is just about clawed clear by Gomes - Stoke on top at the minute
7mins
A long ball over the top is too heavy for Bent before Stoke launch a counter-attack and Soares wastes a great chance to put them ahead as Heurelho Gomes saves well to deny him
5mins
It's been a scrappy but feisty opening five minutes at the Britannia Stadium
3mins
Jonathan Woodgate just manages to stop Mamady Sidibe in the box. There was a hint of a penalty for a second but no great appeal from the Stoke forward
2mins
Luka Modric wastes a pass as he puts it out of play but Spurs have had most of the early possession
0mins
The action gets underway between the Premier League's bottom two sides with Spurs still desperately looking for their first win of the season
0mins
For bottom-of the-table Spurs, Alan Hutton comes in but Ledley King has not made it while Darren Bent looks like he'll play up front on his own. Roman Pavlyuchenko is surprisingly a substitute after making a quick recovery from an ankle injury.
0mins
Tom Soares makes his first Stoke start for but Ricardo Fuller only makes the bench.
Match Preview
Bottom club Tottenham Hotspur will be eyeing three points from Sunday's basement battle with Stoke City, but both sides recognise the importance of the televised game.
City defender Ibrahima Sonko has already stoked the fire ahead of the game, telling BBC Radio Stoke: "It is a good time to play them because they haven't yet found their feet.
"Every game is a six-pointer to us and the Spurs game is an opportunity to get our season started properly."
For Spurs, defender Vedran Corluka, a summer signing from Manchester City, has no doubts about the magnitude of the clash.
"Most important is to show character on Sunday against Stoke and to try to beat them," Corluka explained to Sky Sports News, before adding: "It will not be easy but we don't have a choice any more."
Midfielder David Bentley, one of many new Spurs players who have failed to ignite so far this term, told ZOO magazine this week that the weight of fan pressure continues to afflict the squad.
"Our next league game is at Stoke and playing away might feel a little easier for some of our team right now. At home, you feel the tension on the pitch and there are those who might prefer away games, where there's less expectation."
Nevertheless a number of club figures have used the international break as an opportunity to back the manager, Juande Ramos, including sporting director Damien Comolli, striker Darren Bent and even Ramos himself.
"This is my job, my work. It is the same whether we win or lose. The attitude of the players is very positive," the Spaniard said after the 1-0 loss to Hull City two weeks ago.
The news surrounding forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will do nothing to improve the mood in North London, as the Russian has suffered a partially torn ankle ligament.
The £14million summer signing was substituted 35 minutes into clash with Hull and, despite hopes of a swift return, will be out for the next three weeks.
Bent will replace him in attack, where he will join Fraizer Campbell, while Bentley and Giovani Dos Santos push for a starting role in midfield and Ledley King, as ever, will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.
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Match Report
The pressure intensified on Juande Ramos after Tottenham, who ended a controversial game with nine men, caved in to a second-half battering from fellow strugglers Stoke.
This bottom of the table dogfight got off to a predictably scrappy start before Tom Soares, on his full debut, missed an outstanding chance to give City a seventh-minute lead.
Excellent work by Dave Kitson and Rory Delap carved the opening but Soares, ten yards out and with the goal at his mercy, allowed Heurelho Gomes to make a comfortable save.
A controversial game appeared to swing Stoke's way in the 19th minute when Gareth Bale was sent off for a professional foul on Soares and Danny Higginbotham put away the resulting penalty.
The strong winds moved the ball off the penalty spot on four occasions before Higginbotham held his nerve to drive a low shot just inside Gomes' left-hand post.
Alarm bells must have been ringing in Ramos' camp, but his side began to play considerably better with ten men.
Tottenham drew level in the 25th minute when Darren Bent fired in from close range after Alan Hutton's cross had been deflected into his path off a home defender.
And the visitors, with Aaron Lennon suddenly bursting to life, took the game by the scruff of the neck with Stoke looking like the team with reduced numbers.
Stoke's confidence looked shot, but they regrouped at half-time and applied steady pressure before scoring the winner in the 53rd minute.
Soares found Mamady Sidibe on the right and he curled a low cross to the far post where Delap slammed the ball into an empty net from three yards.
Stoke were forced to change their goalkeeper in the 65th minute when Thomas Sorensen suffered a cut head in a clash with Hutton, which earned the full-back a booking.
But there was soon serious concern at the other end of the field as Vedran Corluka took a knee in the jaw from his own keeper Gomes, rendering the defender unconscious.
Tottenham's medical staff and several ambulance personnel tended to the stricken Croatian for almost ten minutes before he was stretchered away and replaced by Michael Dawson.
It was scrappy and physical stuff now and Stoke were next to lose a player, with Ibrahima Sonko making way for Ryan Shawcross after he was helped off the pitch with a thigh injury.
Stoke were awarded a second penalty during 11 minutes of stoppage time when Jonathan Woodgate fouled Soares.
But Fuller's penalty struck both posts before Delap's follow-up attempt smashed against the bar.
Dawson was shown a straight red for a poor challenge on Sidibe shortly afterwards and there was still time for Fuller to waltz past Woodgate and fire against the bar during a dramatic finale.
Stoke City Team
Tottenham Hotspur Team
Stoke City | Tottenham Hotspur |
Corners
| 6 | 1 |
Fouls
| 12 | 12 |
Goal attempts
| 11 | 11 |
Shots off target
| 3 | 5 |
Offsides
| 2 | 1 |



90mins
Fuller slams a shot off the bar with 11 minutes of the allocated 11 played