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  • Defoe (43), Berbatov (44), Lennon (90)
  • Camara (25)
  • Date:2006-11-26
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:White Hart Lane
  • Attendance:35205
  • Referee:Clattenburg, M

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC: The match finishes with the only difference between the teams being clinical finishing

90mins

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (LENNON): Spurs capitalise as Wigan commit men forward looking for a goal. Berbatov cut back, then sqaured the ball to Lennon who had an easy finish from 10yards out that Kirkland was never going to save.

90mins

Spurs break with lightning speed yet again, Robinson sends a long throw to Keane, who breaks, turning Jackon easily, then curling a right-footed shot agonisinly wide

87mins

Wigan commit men forward for a free-kick which Baines sends into a crowded area, but no-one gets on the end of it, and it sails out for a goal-kick

85mins

Skoko's free-kick is a good one, and Heskey is unlucky not to get Wigan back in it, with his header narrowly over

83mins

Heskey does well to win a header, but the ball skips off the surface and evades Camara

82mins

Defoe is replaced by Robbie Keane

80mins

Time is running out for Wigan and Paul Jewell is getting very frustrated with his side giving the ball away easily

77mins

Kevin Kilbane is replaced by David Cotterill for Wigan as they look to get a goal

77mins

Skoko is yellow-carded for a foul on Zokora.

75mins

Wigan are still struggling to get going in the second half, and are lucky to still be in this game, Spurs haven;t taken their chances to finish the Latics off

73mins

Lennon fires a ball across goal, which Malbranque is just inches from getting onto the end of

71mins

Michael Dawson is cautioned after being forced to bring Heskey down, who would of been in down the left wing

69mins

A good move from Wigan sees a great ball in by Kilbane from the left, McCulloch ghosts in, but can't direct his shot goal-bound

68mins

Fitz Hall replaces David Wright for Wigan

66mins

Baines miscues a shot in dramatic fashion, hitting the scoreboard above the stand

64mins

Tottenham again break with speed, Lennon playing a reverse pass to Defoe, who is tackled brilliantly by Matt Jackson inside the box

63mins

Baines sends a ball into the area for the Latics, but Ledley King is there to stop Camara getting in

60mins

Spurs are on top in this game, with Huddlestone and Defoe running things. Wigan don't look like getting the goal they need to get back into the game

58mins

Zokora is booked for diving, but it truth Heskey went in with studs showing and is lucky to stay on the field, after being booked just minutes ago

56mins

Defoe has a chance on the edge of the box, but can't get the ball out of his feet to get a shot in

55mins

Emile Heskey is cautioned for a flailing arm which catches Dawson in the face

54mins

Berbatov lays off a neat ball for his strike partner Defoe, who snatches at the ball and it goes just over

53mins

McCulloch trys an ambitious effort from 30yards out that sails high and wide

51mins

Berbatov pulls the ball across the 6yard box, unsure what is behind him Wigan defender Matt Jackson sticks his leg out, and forced Kirkland to make a save to avoid an own goal

49mins

Defoe twists and turns, and puts in a cross from the byline, Malbranque though can't get enough contact on it, and the chance is wasted

47mins

Both teams are starting well, continuing from the end of the first half, with both sides looking to get more goals

45mins

Mark Clattenberg blows his whistle to begin the second half

45mins

HALF TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC: Half-time at White Hart Lane, and two goals in two minutes just before half-time see's Spurs go in ahead

45mins

Paul Robinson is forced to many a decent reflex save from Emile Heskey who fired his shot through a crowd of bodies.

44mins

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (BERBATOV): Sprus get a two goals in as many minutes as Dimitar Berbatov plays the ball through Leighton Baines legs, before dispatching an excellent strike from the edge of the box into the top corner

43mins

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (DEFOE): Jermain Defoe scores a goal of real class, he had his back to goal, 8yards out, and turned Emmerson inside out before smashing the ball past Chris Kirkland

41mins

Huddlestone has a swerving drive from 30yards out, but it whistles just over the bar

39mins

Spurs break at lightning spead, but just when they needed quality Defoe's control lets him down, and the chance is gone

36mins

The Latics putting good pressure on Spurs, who seem to be rattled and can't get into their stride

35mins

Aaron Lennon beats Baines down the right, who cuts down the byline. Lennon smashes the ball across goal, and Malbranque is only denied through great defending from David Wright who throws his body infront of the ball

33mins

Good play by Lennon sees him get away from Baines, who deliberatly pulls him to the ground

32mins

Spurs are giving the ball away far to easily, and the crowd are beginning to get frustrated with their team

29mins

Injured Gary Teale is replaced by Emile Heskey who is returning from injury.

26mins

Spurs have woken up after going a goal down, Malbranque smashes an effort from the edge of the box, which looks certain to level the scores, but Kirkland saves impressively, then gets back on his feet to somehow keep out Defoe who followed up

24mins

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (CAMARA): Leighton Baines sends the ball into the box, which McCulloch does well to knock down for Camara who gets good contact to send the ball into the back of the net.

21mins

Wigan are enjoying alot of possesion at the moment, with Spurs giving away several throw-ins deep in their half

19mins

Berbatov goes down under a heavy challenge from Baines on the edge of the box, but referee Mark Clattenberg tells the bulgarian striker to get up.Berbatov goes down under a heavy challenge from Baines on the edge of the box, but nothing is given

16mins

Gary Teale sends in a teasing cross, Kevin Kilbane and Pascal Chimbonda go up for it, and Chimbonda is forced to make a saving header, otherwise Kilbane was in for Wigan

14mins

Henri Camara has a right footed shot from the edge of the box. It was certainly a chance for the Latics, but Camara didn't get any really connection on his shot.

12mins

Lee McCulloch is down in agony, after an aerial challenge with Matt Dawson

10mins

Tom Huddlestone puts in a terrific cross, but there are no white shirts in the box to get on the end of it.

8mins

Emmerson Boyce cautioned for pulling back Defoe

6mins

Both sides are finding it hard to settle into the game, with niether side putting a set of passes together

4mins

Steed Malbranque does well to send the ball down the wing to Berbatov, but Baines comes in with a crunching takle to stop the attack.

1mins

Berbatov turns and stabs the ball towards goal, after good work from Aaron Lennon, but Chris Kirkland saves with ease

0mins

Wigan line-up as: Kirkland, Wright, Jackson, Boyce, Baines, Teale, Scharner, Skoko, Kilbane, Camara, McCulloch

0mins

Spurs line-up as: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov, Defoe

0mins

Paul Jewell makes just one change to his side that drew with Aston Villa at the JJB stadium last week. Leighton Baines replaces Arjan De Zeeuw, while the game comes to soon for Emile Heskey to return to the side.

0mins

Tottenham make two changes to the side that beat Bayer Leverkusen on thursday night. The injured Tainio is replaced by Huddlesstone, whilst Robbie Keane drops to the bench to be repalced by Jermaine Defoe.

Match Preview

The only thing that has been consistent about Tottenham's form this season has been their inconsistency as they prepare to host Wigan Athletic at White Hart Lane.

Martin Jol's side have defeated Chelsea and Portsmouth this season and put in some superb displays in Europe only to see all their hard work undone by losing at Reading and drawing with Watford in recent weeks.

The result is a bottom half of the table position for the north London side, who started the season with genuine ambitions of breaking the monopoly of the big four teams at the top.

Last weekend Spurs secured a point from a incident-packed trip to Blackburn courtesy of Jermain Defoe's penalty.

The England striker was preferred in attack alongside Mido to Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov as Jol continued his controversial policy of rotating his quartet of strikers.

Hossam Ghaly will miss the visit of Wigan through suspension following his red card at Ewood Park, but England pair Jermaine Jenas (calf) and Aaron Lennon (knee) could return after missing the trip to Lancashire.

Should either miss out then Steed Malbranque could earn his first league start of the season following his return from a hernia injury.

Paul Jewell hailed Wigan's display in last weekend's goalless draw with Aston Villa and claimed some of the football his side produced was the best since the Latics gained promotion to the Premiership last year.

The stalemate extended Wigan's unbeaten run to five matches and they have kept four clean sheets during that run.

After an indifferent start to their second season in the top-flight, the Latics are now up to ninth in the table and suddenly look capable of securing European football for next season.

However, the stalemate with Villa came at a price as both Gary Teale and Josip Skoko suffered hamstring injuries that threaten to keep them sidelined for a number of weeks.


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Match Report

Dimitar Berbatov followed up his European exploits with another superb performance to help Tottenham get back on the winning trail against Wigan.

Berbatov stole the show for Spurs in the UEFA Cup against Bayer Leverkusen and showed his value once again with a five-star display to help his side pick up all three points at White Hart Lane.

Despite Henri Camara firing Wigan into the lead, Berbatov showed why Tottenham forked out £10.9million for his services when he helped set up Jermain Defoe for the equaliser, scored the crucial second himself on the stroke of half-time and then played in Aaron Lennon for the third.

After guaranteeing qualification for the next phase of the UEFA Cup, Martin Jol will be relieved that his side managed to transform that form back into the Premiership as they look to move into the top half of the table.

Berbatov almost made it a dream start for the home side within the opening 60 seconds when Lennon's cross fell to the Bulgarian striker and he fired a volley straight at Chris Kirkland.

Wigan battled their way back into the game and striker Henri Camara produced a fine save from Paul Robinson diving low down to his left on 14 minutes.

Camara continued to cause problems for the Tottenham defence and shock the home crowd when he broke the deadlock on 25 minutes.

David Wright's cross into the box picked out Lee McCulloch, who beat Pascal Chimbonda in the air and flicked the ball into the path of Camara, who struck a sweet half-foot volley past Robinson into the roof of the net.

Wigan keeper Kirkland made a superb double save just a minute later to keep his side ahead.

Steed Malbranque weaved his way into the area before seeing his low drive turned away by the former Liverpool keeper.

The rebound fell to Defoe, but he was also denied by Kirkland who got down low to his left to deny the England striker.

Tom Huddlestone almost got Tottenham back into the game with a powerful 35-yard shot which flew inches over the bar.

But Tottenham managed to change the course of the game within the space of 90 seconds.

Berbatov picked out his strike partner Defoe on 43 minutes who turned Wigan defender Emmerson Boyce and fired the ball past Kirkland.

And before the Spurs fans had even had a chance to get back in their seats. Tottenham quickly added a second.

Berbatov showed his value once again when he superbly took the ball past Matt Jackson and struck a powerful shot into the top right-hand corner to make it a week to remember for the forward.

Jackson was having a game to forget for Wigan and things almost got even worse on 53 minutes when he nearly turned the ball past his own keeper when he failed to deal with a cross from Berbatov.

Defoe could have added a third for Tottenham on 55 minutes when he raced on to a neat piece of skill from Lennon, but struck his close-range shot just over the bar.

Substitute Emile Heskey was lucky to escape with just a yellow card following a nasty challenge on Michael Dawson.

Robbie Keane should have sealed victory for the home side in injury time when he turned the Wigan defence but curled his shot inches past the post.

But Lennon ensured the home side picked up all three points when he was picked out inside the box by Berbatov and he made no mistake sliding the ball home.

Tottenham Hotspur

Wigan Athletic

Corners

32

Fouls

1217

Goal attempts

1110

Shots off target

55

Offsides

62

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